Jeffrey: All right. Welcome to the light and your launch podcast today. We're talking about what happens when you start focusing on strategy and spirituality in your business. Stay tuned.

Announcer: Hey, we're in the Launch Squad and this is the Light Your Launch podcast. We teach coaches and course creators how to lighten their launches. We're bringing you all of the tips and strategies to take your launch from intimidating to money-making. In this podcast, we talk about everything; the sales, strategy, mindset, technical and spiritual aspects of running your best launch ever. So if you're feeling overwhelmed and unsure of the next right step, we're here to bring clarity, confidence, and excitement into your next launch. This is the Light Your Launch podcast.

Jeffrey: Welcome back to the show. I'm Jeffrey and I'm here with my beautiful wife Aleia and today we're talking to our dear friend, Aaron Giardo about how she doubled down on spirituality and started using magic in our business. So Aaron is the co-founder of the neuro collaborative. She's a neurological physicists. I'm going to say this so wrong. She's a neurological physical therapist, runner and entrepreneur in Southern California who wants to transform healthcare by helping every neuro professional gain clinical excellence become business savvy and step into their personal power and her business. She and her business partner provide ongoing mentoring and coaching resources, support workshops, continuing education, and a powerful community of like-minded professionals. She loves movement connection growth, and laughter Aaron, tell us, tell us more about that. Welcome to the show and tell us more about what you do and how you help.

Erin: Hello. Thank you for having me on your show today. Thanks for being here. Yes. Well, I'm, I'm happy to be here and talking with the two of you because you have helped me so much. And neuro collaborative is kind of a baby business in, I guess we started it in 2018, the end of 2018. So we've had kind of two full years of running this business, but, um, my career initially started as, uh, as you mentioned, an neurologic physical therapist. And, um, I graduated from physical therapy school with my doctorate in 2007 and from Ohio university and immediately moved to Southern California to find the Palm trees and sunshine and the American dream of entrepreneurship, I guess I didn't think I was gonna ever, ever be in business. When I first started in therapy. It was like the last thing on my mind. Um, but I got my career started working with people with neurologic injuries.

Erin: Cause a lot of people actually know what neuro physical therapy is or that that's a specialty area. So I guess if people don't know, um, we work with people who've had neurologic injuries or diagnoses or conditions like a stroke or a brain injury or a spinal injury or Parkinson's disease or multiple sclerosis or, um, tumors, things like that. Um, and we help them rehabilitate back from that very acute injury all the way through, into like a wellness routine fitness, um, back to community, back to fulfilling roles and life roles that were lost from having that huge insults into their life. So that's amazing.

Jeffrey: Now, can you, then, then I'm curious about this just a little bit, uh, what is the difference between like physical therapy and neuro logic? Oh, I couldn't even say these big words. Like, you know, you break your leg, if you get physical therapy, like how, how does it really differ?

Erin: Yeah. So, um, everyone in school is trained to be like a generalist when you go to physical therapy school and basically all of us get our doctorates now. Um, so we were trained to work with people with all kinds of different conditions. Like orthopedic injuries would be if you sprain your ankle or break your leg, or even like I have a back injury or something. And so most people who are PTs practice in that area, it's, it's considered more orthopedic. Um, but there's also a specialty areas like cardiac rehab after a heart attack or pediatric therapy for working with kids or geriatric working with older adults or neurologic, like what, what I do, um, with people with neurologic injuries. And it just, you are able to, um, you can specialize, you'd kind of niche down and find a specialty area in the field. And there's an ability to get extra training and extra, um, specialization search certifications, like I'm board certified as a neurologic specialist in, in physical therapy. So, um, you know, took a special exam and get to put some letters after my name to say that I specialize in, in that. So, um, yeah, so there's lots of different areas you could go in.

Jeffrey: What drew you to that specifically?

Erin: When, when I was in school, I was really drawn to the neurologic content because it was so complicated and variable and interesting and challenging, and I was really drawn to the problem solving aspect of it, um, with, uh, and also just like how, how huge of a, um, how huge of an impact this can have on someone's life. And the difference you can make for them, um, was really appealing to me how I could help them in so many areas, not just like when you do orthopedics, like no offense, if anyone listening does orthopedic PT, it gets really repetitive, really repetitive, predictable, and boring. And I like things to be different and variable. I like to be creative and creative problem solving and connecting with people in a bigger way. So I was immediately drawn to neuro because no one with a brain injury, uh, for example, like presents the same, like everyone has a different challenge. And so you get to show up, um, you know, for that individual in a really unique way that that helps just them.

Jeffrey: Hmm. Yeah. Gosh, that's amazing. And so, so tell me about your program. What is the neuro collaborative?

Erin: Yeah, so, um, so I worked as a neuro PT for, you know, what was it like 13 years or so, and I've always loved going to conferences and talking with my colleagues and, um, just like collaborate. Like we neuro PTs, we always talk about, we love geeking out on neuro stuff together and, and neuroplasticity together and talking and sharing ideas. And, um, you know, when I went into, um, to business, into private practice with someone, um, in 2012, um, we, we loved like, you know, kind of collaborating with each other and learning about how to build a business, as well as like collaborating on just clinical practice issues. And, um, and we started like a little bit of a community of business owners in neuro business, within Southern California, where we would learn from each other how to incorporate things into our business to make them successful because there's not a lot of neuro businesses that exist.

Erin: Usually ortho practices are everywhere and that's what we all think of. And people who do neuro work in hospital systems, um, primarily. So, um, so that's kind of where, like, I guess the collaborating on neuro ideas sort of started with that group. And then, um, over the years, you know, we ha there were a couple other women that, um, we kind of came together to say like, Hey, we should have something for professionals where we can all come together and create a community of neuro professionals who want to learn and grow each other. We didn't really know what it looked like. Like, would it be business oriented or would it be clinical oriented or, you know, what would it be? And so we kind of just started it as like a, as like a, just a fun side thing. And I think around maybe 2016, 2017, wasn't officially a business or anything like that, but just like, let's start a free Facebook group, you know, invite people to it, let's get a conversation going and, um, you know, and see where we go from there.

Erin: Um, and then in 20, at the end of 2018, um, my, uh, official partner, Claire McLean is another neuro PT and, and someone that I've known since I moved to California, um, we were like, okay, I think we're ready to really make this official and like support these professionals who are looking for more, more help and more resources and more S more support. Like there's a lot of burnout. There's a lot of, you know, fatigue in the area and people just like not having direction and not having people help them navigate in their careers, um, and see what's possible for them. So we're like, okay, we're officially making this a business. And at the end it was like October, um, of 2018. And we launched a membership,

Jeffrey: Um, at that time. Yeah. Nice, nice. And how's that, how's that membership going? So it's,

Erin: It's going awesome. It really has evolved a lot. So it was really exciting when we first launched the membership. We, we called it neuro tribe initially, which we've changed the name since then and took the tribe word out of it, because that was, as we learned later in our, in our, um, education on diversity, equity and inclusion, that was not a word we wanted in our, um, membership, the word tribe. But anyways, now it's called, um, now it's called neuro spark, but initially we just started a group that's, uh, thanks. That was like, okay, I don't know what you want to learn, go in your career, but you know, there's more possible for you. If you want to start a business, we're going to help you. If you want to just advance or start new programs at your work, you know, let's do it. And, um, I think we got 28 members to join.

Erin: It was like $29 a month or something when we started. Um, so it was really exciting. Like, wow, people really are wanting this. And, um, a lot of those people are still, the majority of them are actually still with us, even now as we've expanded. And so it started as that. And then it just was an evolution of learning, like, okay, what content do people want? And how do we want to frame this? And how are we helping people and what is our mission? And, um, you know, so that's changed a lot over time and now it's, it's much different. Um, you know, it's expanded quite a bit. We, uh, originally focused more on business and, and that kind of thing, but we knew that clinicians wanted continuing education and wanted more clinical stuff. We just didn't want to teach it. So, um, but one of our very first members who joined our group was, um, a professor. And, um, and she, you know, we got to know her a little bit and now actually she leads the clinical education portion of our membership. So that was pretty cool. Like, you know, getting started, not really knowing what you want to do, but as you go, that's how you can start to get more clarity. So,

Jeffrey: Oh my God. Say that again. Say that again, right. For anybody out there who's like, well, I don't have a complete vision of my business yet. Oh, that's so powerful. Just, just get started. Everything's going to figure itself out. Right. Uh, I love that. I'm so glad you said that

Erin: That's my mantra. Like, because I think Marie Forleo said that originally, but like, so I'm not going to take credit for it. Exactly. But definitely a mantra, like action creates clarity action creates clarity. So whenever I feel unclear, it's like, let's just start something and then see where the clarity can form.

Jeffrey: Yes. Oh my gosh. So do you, so let's think back really quick. Uh, do you remember what your first launch was like?

Erin: Yes, I do. It was really exciting and nerve wracking and, um, so it was like, I definitely remember we had it around, um, end of October. I remember for sure. Like one of the, one of the days of our launch was on Halloween. Cause I dressed up, um, for one of our Facebook lives and we did Facebook lives every day, the week, the week of launch week. And I was dressed up as an avocado with a headband that said ABA, cardio on it. I didn't forget that. And so, and I love, I love dressing up in costumes and stuff like that. Um, whenever there's a theme, I always feel like people in costume always have more fun. So if there's ever an opportunity to dress up in a costume, like I have to do that if there's a theme. Yeah. Um, so I, I, it's funny cause I totally remember doing that on the Facebook live and being in my costume.

Erin: Um, I had just taken the course tribe and um, gone through that programming. So they gave us these like templates to do our emails for, and, you know, gave us a lot of ideas for how to lay this out, this membership idea that we were doing. So I was just like in all of the resources and crafting my own email sequence and we had MailChimp at the time, which I paid it's terrible, but no offense to anyone who was using it because you'd got to start somewhere, gotta start somewhere. Right. Yeah. So I crafted all those emails. I had this Facebook live schedule. We, um, you know, did, what did we do? We didn't really do a webinar, but I did. Oh yeah. I did these like live launch, um, things on Facebook and I had these scripts and I was so nervous and like just sweating and terrified, like trying to teach them something, the pain. Yeah.

Jeffrey: What were the, what were the results of the, like the sales, the money? Like how did that all play out? Was it, was it satisfying or what was the roller coaster like?

Erin: You know, it was super validating because we, um, you know, we like tribe gives you sort of this like blueprint of how to like create a launch runway, which I kept procrastinating on because I was so scared to put myself out there and to do the lives and to do the emails. And so, you know, I think, I don't think I really had much of a runway like that space of time before you have your open cart, but it was such a rollercoaster too. Cause we were on mighty networks was the first membership site we used. And it was, I don't remember if it was free for us or if it was no, it was very cheap plan. They do have a free plan, but what we needed, it was, um, we had to pay for it and they had this approval process initially that Apple has to approve your price points and it wasn't ready by the time of our open cards, one of them was ready.

Erin: Like I think annual was ready, but monthly wasn't. And so it was like, Oh shoot, like we have, you know, people can join this way, but they can't join monthly yet. So you have to hold on if you want to join monthly. So I had to like, you know, finagle all of that. Um, and then, yeah, but we did have people, like, I remember someone from our audience like contact, we had probably 500 people on our email list at the time. Um, and someone emailed me at like 8:00 AM of OpenCart. Cause I said it would be open yet, but I was like, whatever, I'll just open it when I'm, when I wake up, you know? And, um, it was like a Monday morning and she had already emailed and was like, Hey, I want to join. I don't see the link yet or something. And I was like, Oh my God, someone wants to, it was like so exciting. Yes. Yeah. So we had that like a little bit of rush initially, a little bit of slowness the next couple of days. Like they tell you and then like a big rush at the end, you know, we got, yeah, we got several thousand dollars. We got, I mean it was validation, honestly. I was just extremely, we were thrilled.

Jeffrey: Oh, great. That is so great. That is so great. Now, um, do you remember when we met? Yes. I'm trying to think back of, I think w uh, because we were both in BBD, right? Yeah. And I was in the hot seat with James talk with James and you had left a comment in, in the, in the thread and then I responded to you. Right. I'm trying to remember.

Erin: Yeah. So you were in the hot seat on a coaching call and those were always so helpful. So, you know, when, when we joined, I joined business by design the next, the following year 2019, I guess it was maybe was that probably the same time as you? Yep. Yep. And that was so, so helpful as well, um, to launch things into the level, but yeah, so I was on a coaching. I was watching the coaching call with you and you were talking about, you know, how you were an IMTJ and how you love automations and funnels. And you were just kind of working through your idea of like how to formulate a business. And yeah, I remember writing something in the comments, like I'm allergic to automations

Jeffrey: Talk to this lady. I that's, that's what I want to do.

Erin: It was so funny because yeah. So I just had that random comment and, you know, and there are lots of comments because there were hundreds of people on the call and, you know, you were in the hot seat. So I was really surprised then when you, um, you found me on Facebook messenger and reached out about my comment. And at the time we were in our next launch, this was a year after my very first launch. So we were in, well, no, we had had a few, but we were in a launch. Um, when you reached out to me, it was the end of October of 2019. And, um, you were like, Oh yeah, I saw your comments. Or, you know, do you want to chat? Or I don't remember what you said exactly. And I was like, sure, like, I'm definitely open, but I'm like swamped right now.

Erin: Cause we were in the middle of a launch. And, um, and the cool thing was that you were really persistent. Like you kept checking back with me. Oh, do you want to talk now? Or, you know, when can we schedule something? And I, and I was like, I really admired that because I felt like for myself, like if someone would have been like, Oh yeah, I'm busy. I would have been like, Oh, they're blowing me off. Like I'm done. But it wasn't that I literally was really just too busy to engage at the moment. And I wanted to wait until the launch was over and you kept, you know, kind of following up like a couple of other times until we, you know, scheduled to have a chat and me and I was like, wow, that's how you do it. Like why they, like, you know, it's not like you wouldn't take it personally. If someone can't get back to you literally might be busy. That was really the case for me. And I was so grateful that you did keep following up because then, you know, what, if you hadn't like, I would not have ever met you or a layup or gotten to work with the two of you.

Jeffrey: Yeah. I love that. You said that. I mean, what's funny is that right at that time, like literally when I was in the hot seat with James, he, I was in this position of like, gosh, what should I do? Where should I take my business? So it was kind of in a transition. Right. And he made me flip a coin. He made me flip a coin, literally flip a coin and choose. And I mean, it was a little bit more, um, involved with than just flipping a coin, but it really pointed out like, yes, okay, this is, this is really what I want, where I want to take my business. And at that point I was like really committed. Um, and, and kind of, what was the impetus for continuing to reach out to you saying, listen, I'm, I feel motivated getting past this. I really got to thank James for, this is his, he got me past that indecision point.

Jeffrey: Like, what should I do this or that this or that, this or that? Like I was in that position for, I don't know, months just this or that, this or that. And he was like, just pick one. And as soon as I did things really opened up, really opened up. And I kind of like, uh, as we, as we talk into our, our spiritual aspects of our business, like indecision is such a spiritual stifle sometimes. Right? It's so uncomfortable. It's one of the most uncomfortable feelings and what, like I was telling Alayah after that, after that session, I was like, Oh my God, I feel so free to pursue this pathway. And as soon as I did things just started opening up things that I could not have foreseen things that I, that had like, you know, like doors started opening. And like, I feel like that's kind of where our connection started is that I was in an open position. You were in an open position and it was a match, you know, rather than me being in indecision and trying to figure things out, like we would have, I believe we would have never been able to connect because, you know, because those energies are just so vastly different.

Erin: Wow. Yeah. That's so cool. So it was definitely meant to be. Yeah, totally, totally.

Aleyah: And I love that about Jeffrey, that he doesn't take things personally. He just doesn't speculate about people's motives. He just kind of feels his intuition and it kind of goes for it without that, um, anxiety in his mind. Cause I would have been like U2, Aaron, I would have been like, Oh, they don't want to talk to me. But I think that's such a good thing to remember is not to speculate about what people are thinking or assume, you know, that's really powerful. I think it's my artist and applies to, um, business so much.

Erin: Yeah, it does. I, I re I really do reflect on that quite a bit. Like if I'm feeling nervous to reach out to people or to reach out again, if I've already reached out once, like I do think about that like, well, Jeffrey, you know, he kept, he kept messaging me and it didn't feel wrong. It didn't feel like he was being pushy. It was just like, I needed that. I needed nudges and people do need nudges, so yeah.

Aleyah: Yeah. Don't be afraid to nudge. Don't be afraid to nudge.

Jeffrey: I dunno. I think I, I experience it from my own perspective. It's like somebody, you know, emails me and it's like, I don't have time to get to that right now, but it sounds really cool. You know, so I dunno. I just, yes. I approach it from that assumption rather than the other assumption.

Erin: Yeah. I think that's good. I think that would be helpful for more of us to do that.

Jeffrey: So, so then we got connected. We started working together. Uh, I helped you with your funnel. We mapped things out. We got some automation. Um, why did you move off of MailChimp at that time? Or you had you moved off of MailChimp.

Erin: Yes, that is right. Oh yeah. That's right. That's the other reason it was super busy. That next launch was in sanity. Oh my gosh. At the end of October, 2019 when I met you too, um, we were switching to Kajabi and um, yeah. And so you were, um, yeah, we were switching off of, off of MailChimp and off of mighty networks switching to Kajabi. So during that launch, I, at this point I had hired a VA that previous August, and she was fabulous from the beginning. I hired her from online jobs, online jobs.ph she's fantastic. And, um, so she started helping me with my email sequences and shifting everything over and all of that. But I was still, I was still doing a lot of the work, um, to organize stuff. And, um, so that launch was extra hectic, crazy. Cause we had just purchased Kajabi and we were switching everything and we were opening and launching and we were trying to switch people's payment plans from mighty networks into Kajabi and they use it. They both use Stripe, but a different network and Stripe or something different accountant Stripe, I guess. So I remember being up super late, um, trying to build out a Kajabi landing page and sales page and sign up button. Um, like during the launch, it was so stressful

Jeffrey: By the way, for everybody out there, I would not recommend doing your launch that way, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do, you know, launching and saying, people are coming is very motivating.

Erin: It is. I kind of need that pressure to be like, okay, now is the time like now? Or never let's get stuff figured out.

Jeffrey: Yeah. You know what? I think that's a powerful thing because we can tend to sit on our laurels for a long time and just say, I'm not ready yet. I'm not ready yet. It's not ready yet. But yeah, man, when you start putting it out there and people are headed your way, right. That's when stuff gets real.

Erin: Yeah. And it was, it was a good move because that was our first five figure launch. And so that was super exciting to, um, you know, break the $10,000 Mark on a launch. So we were moving forward. Yeah.

Jeffrey: Uh, I love that. So, so not only were you working with me, but that's kind of where you were introduced to my lovely wife. Alayah

Erin: Well, you held out on me for a while. Cause like we were working together and you know, I needed, I needed the strategy. I needed the automation. I needed your left brain energy to help me like figure out these, this funnel stuff. And like, I don't know. There were a lot of times when we would meet and you would show me the funnel link stuff and it was just like, wow, this feels way over my head. But focus, focus. And you know, um, luckily my VA, um, April is also an IMTJ and loves the funnel stuff and loves all of the data. And so she was just ready to, um, ready to take that on as you taught me what to do and how to measure things. And then you're like, Oh, by the way, my wife is an energy healer. And I was like,

Aleyah: [inaudible],

Erin: I'm going to include sessions with her, for you as part of our like, package together. And I was like, Oh,

Aleyah: Oh my God. Yes.

Erin: So pumped, I could not believe like how, um, yeah, just like how serendipitous it was that you had reached out. And we were doing this thing that was like really felt like square peg in the round hole for me. And then, and then you were also like, Oh, and then here's this other amazing bonus. I was like, aha.

Aleyah: Yes. Yay. Yes.

Jeffrey: What was that like working together with her and how did that, how did that change things?

Erin: So, um, man, I, maybe you didn't hold out that long actually, now that I think about it, cause I feel like Aaliyah, we started working together in, at the end of 2019 as well. Yeah. I think so maybe in like November, December or something or maybe like,

Aleyah: Yeah, yeah. Cause Jeffrey and I were trying to figure out how to have a business together. We were like, we are, people need each other, we need each other, you know, and the strategy and the spirituality, but that's so weird. We were like, who's going to want that. Who wants us?

Erin: That's right. Cause that's where you propose the idea to me and Jeffrey. And I was like, Oh absolutely. People would want this and I want it. So let's do it.

Aleyah: That was so exciting.

Erin: That was really exciting. That's right. So you were just trying to figure that out. So we, yeah, so we had established like our funnel relationship and our automation stuff and he gave me some great ideas for resources that I still use and um, ways that we approach our launch that are so, so, so helpful that we can track. Like now I have to say like now for our launches, we have like a calculation for, we know how many people are going to sign up for our program based on the stuff that you, me about how to create a UTM code based on which email people sign up for, or if they come from the webinar, if they come from the Facebook group and tracking all of that. So we know based on like our email list of active members, our number of people who come to the webinar and the number of people or the amount of money we spend on Facebook ads and then how many are in our Facebook group, we know based on those, like how many people are going to sign up for our program and like, that's, that's crazy to get to a point where you feel like, wow, we have like almost a little machine here.

Erin: Yeah,

Jeffrey: Yes. That is priceless to now you can like turn up the dial. If you need to, you can turn down the dial if you need to, you know, where the dial is in the process, right? Yeah,

Erin: Yeah, yeah. We're cranking it until 11. Like every time

Jeffrey: It's full blast it's on full blast. Just go, just go.

Erin: So that was, that was incredible. And then, um, yeah, so then when, when I met with a lay of the first time I was coming out of an old partnership, an old business partnership that did not end very well. And you know, as many times as people can tell you, those things are hard. Like, yeah, they are hard. So, um, I was coming out of an old partnership that I had a lot of, a lot of baggage around and, um, hurt and rejection from. And um, so there was that emotional piece that I just could hardly let go of. Actually, I remember you saying like a layups people like clear chords and I was like, Oh, maybe that's what I need. I have these like chords to my old partner and colleagues that I need to clear.

Jeffrey: And you're like, what the heck are chords? I'm not an piano. I'm not a piano. Nobody's got cords here.

Erin: But since I, you know, was in the business by design, like James Wedmore community, like I knew about spirituality stuff from listening to him. So I knew a little bit of it. I didn't have anyone I was working with. Um, but I was very open to meeting someone that could help me with my energy and limiting beliefs and um, blockages. I knew I had a lot of like inner inner self-talk of like, who would want to listen to me? You know, who, what I say doesn't matter, nobody cares that I'm out here doing this or, you know, no one would want what I have to offer. Um, you know, things like that. So I had like this bad work, you know, partnership, energy, and then other limiting beliefs that I knew were making me scared to like show up for, for my audience and put myself out there.

Erin: And you know, when I first had my first conversation with a layup, like Holy moly, like the way that she just like tuned into things that like, you know, she just wouldn't have known if I didn't say I didn't say a lot of specific, but it was like, she just knew stuff like, Oh, what about I see this? I see that, Oh, you must be. There's like one person that you are really, you were really connected to. Or just things that I was like, Oh my God, you're right. And I just knew it was legit. Like she was going to help me. Um, and I felt like I felt like a million dollars after our first call. I was so just like revamped and energized that, um, like, I don't know, nothing could, nothing could replace that feeling of just like, Holy crap. I feel so free. All of a sudden

Aleyah: That's so wonderful. I remember our first call too. That was really powerful, but you were so willing to look at that stuff too. And you were so willing and open to process that and to let it go, right. I mean, you're such a big part of that as well. And I just remember that powerful. It felt like that you were able to shift so much so quickly by, you know, and just being aware of things that you weren't quite didn't really think it was having an impact on your current business, the old stuff, the old business stuff. Right. But letting that go, it just seemed to free you up so much to just go forward and into all of your new stuff and feel free from that burden. Yeah. That's so true. Yeah. Be more present. So, um, how else did you feel like that kind of affected, impacted your current business? All the processing that we did.

Erin: Yeah. Like I you're right. Cause I was holding onto a lot of like guilt and old. Um, just a little, the energy, I guess, but feeling like I couldn't really, I didn't know how to show up for my new business, my new audience. I didn't know how to be like my authentic self for everyone and move forward. So, um, like helping work on clearing some of those chords and energy and getting more clarity around my relationships with my, with my partners with, um, and just with myself, uh, was, was so huge because like there, I had a lot of just like, I guess, confidence issues and things from my past that held me back that, um, I felt really willing and open to talking with you about, you gave me like visual strategies that helped so much like the put the person or the energy or thing in the basket and let it float into the sunlight. So helpful.

Aleyah: That is a helpful, and yeah, sometimes it's like our minds know that we shouldn't or we feel like, Oh, I shouldn't still be thinking about the stuff from decades ago or last year, but it's so hard to let go of, right. We aren't always taught the tools of how to manage that stuff. So it just kind of stays stuck in our body or stuck in our energy field. So sometimes it's just getting tools and realizing that you have those tools or that it's not as hard as it, as you think it might be to process that stuff. We just aren't taught it in school, you know? So it's something that we're all we all deal with and are all capable of shifting when we put our energy towards that. And you really have done that big time.

Erin: Well, you really helped me to, it was more, it wasn't just like also, you know, businesses, one, one thing and life is another thing. It was like, I am the person in the center of all of this, of all of my life, my personal stuff, my thoughts and feelings and actions and my business and how that runs. So like I have to like take care of this whole self, this whole being so that everything can work more smoothly. And so you helped me connect into my body more like we would get on a call and you'd be like, something's up with your left shoulder? And I'm like, Oh my God, how did you know, I have this pain in my shoulder?

Erin: I mean, you wouldn't say it like that, but it was like, you know, just helping me understand like the different sides of the body and energy and, um, connecting like, um, you know, relationships in my body as well as business stuff in my body. And, um, you know, how, how, just like the self care aspect is so huge for my energy so that I can show up better in my business and come in with the best, um, mindset around what are people's intentions and, you know, how do I want to show up for this launch or when I write my weekly email, like, you know, having the, um, ability to like, you know, do a meditation and visualize who I'm reaching out to and, um, trusting that the right words are gonna come out of my mouth or into my, into my email or, um, yeah, just like that alignment and, and like, you know, elevating your energy to a place where you can really work on that attraction piece. Um, that was just, you know, so, so helpful.

Aleyah: Love it. What are some of the practices that you do now that you feel like you've gotten, you know, from working together? I know we've talked about the strategy with the funnel strategies and everything. What are some of the regular spiritual practices that you do now that help

Erin: You and your business and life? Yeah. Um, I use like, like I said, the visualization and meditation, so I do that. Um, I do like a visualizing meditation before I write an email before I go on a Facebook live, um, before I have like maybe a webinar that I'm teaching or something like that. Um, I like to just like lay down and to sort of get in tune with like who's out there and, you know, just trusting like that. They're going to hear my message and find me. And, um, I use the visualization of like releasing energy. That's not mine to be carrying if it, if I have stuff from my relationship or from my, um, family relationships or, or just old things I need to let go of from the business or something like releasing that and doing that visualization and, um, you know, like just diaphragm, breathing through stuff, um, as well.

Erin: And I, um, we do regular sessions still, which I look forward to every month, um, because it definitely helps clear things. And so I use the body stuff a lot, like, you know, when I have pain or, um, cause it usually comes on my left side and that's what you taught me. It was more of like the feminine energy side, the receiving side, the side that needs more of the rest and self care. And so when I get those pains or knots or whatever, and my left side, I'm like, okay, this is, this is a clue to me that I might be pushing too hard with like the masculine energy of like go and go and get more people and do more emails and do more work. And so I'm like, okay, I've got to scale back and rest a little more and listen to if I need more sleep or, um, you know, I need to do yoga more or, um, you know, I, I'm a big runner, so like, do I need to go? I love getting outside and running. So I'm probably gonna do running anyways, but I'm not always pushing my running. I, a lot of times I do trails and things where I can be in nature and maybe I'll go a little slower so I can enjoy it more or something. So I use a lot of, you know, that, that kind of stuff from what I've gained from you,

Jeffrey: I want to linger on this point really quick because, and maybe LA, you can speak to this. And I feel like, I feel like Aaron, you mentioned it kind of, uh, as, not the main point, but I want to bring it back. Is that idea of the energy in your body being, uh, the left and right. Uh, the, the receiving the doing the action, that kind of stuff. Can you talk about that? Because I think that's a really big point and I'm hearing some people, or I'm thinking some people might be listening. Like, what is she talking about little left and right. I don't get it right. So w what is, what does that mean? What does, how do you guys work that out?

Aleyah: Well, the energy system I use is we look at the left side of the body as the feminine side, the right side of the body is the masculine side. We all have both. And, you know, our masculine side tends to be the doing side feminine side. And it's the action output side, feminine side is like the input, the receiving side. And, you know, as entrepreneurs, a lot of times, our doing side is great. It's on fire. It's just going, going, going, but it gets burned out, right? If it doesn't ever receive energy and re and to nurture and nourish it, right? It's like, it's like trying to operate without eating. You know, you have to have food, you have to have fuel. And sometimes it's so counterintuitive because busy, especially busy business owners will be pushing through hunger, pushing through the need for sleep, pushing through the need for vacation time, um, relaxing time.

Aleyah: And that can actually have a really negative effect where you're actually feel less clear. Um, you might be getting things done, but they may not be what you really wanted it to be like, it doesn't have your essence in it. It's like just, you know, you might get things done in a perfunctory way, but it's not necessarily, um, from your heart and soul, right. So it just doesn't have the same resonance as something that you create when you're charged up and fuel that. And so, and sometimes we don't even get the clarity, like we'll just keep pushing through, um, a task and we really need to take a break, but we're telling that side of ourselves to shut up. You know, no, I don't have time. I don't have time. I'm going to get this dominant. It will actually take three times as long, or you may never get it done as if you would just take a break, go outside, get yourself recharged, go get a massage, whatever it is you need, or go for a beautiful run in nature, you know, something like that, and really unplug.

Aleyah: And that for so many people, um, just brings more balance to their work. And your body feels better. Your mind, your energy feels better. You're not as cranky. You're more clear things just flow. You're just more in alignment, because like I said, we all have both of those sides, right. So you can't really ignore why we might be better at one than the other. And that's okay. And like your general, you know, your emo might be to, to be kind of more skewed, right. Or skewed left. And, you know, it's not like we really have to change that about ourselves, but it's, but it'd be the same, you know, if you're just taking things in all the time, but never taking any action. I work with people that struggle with that as well. And I'm more of that person, but

Jeffrey: Men taking, if you're

Aleyah: Very intuitive and creative, but then you just struggle with taking action. Then we're going to be working on that piece, you know, how to take action and getting over that hurdle. So it's just about bringing that balance in and errands. That's a beautiful example of, of being willing to do that. And then how it affected her as just, I mean, you can just see her busy. I mean, you've, your lunches are getting better and better. You feel better about your business. Like you're just like your self esteem and self worth, all of that really transformed. Right.

Erin: Um, yeah, I would say like the work with you too, is like such a foundational piece of like, because, you know, we don't think about how much our intuition is necessary in our business, but like that helps open up my intuition, make that louder, help me to trust it and follow it. And also to help me just have a lot more fun and lightness in my business. So when I am approaching the things like, like w the side where Jeffrey does with the funnels and the data and the numbers and all of that, like I I'm able, I'm really receptive to it and open to it and can make it fun and can make it light and can see the reward for it. So it's like, you know, I kind of needed that work, um, with you Elena, to like, help me to get into the strategy side of everything and make both everybody together

Jeffrey: Here that everybody funnels can be fun. Nobody likes funnels for a long time. Yeah. Nobody likes funnels. They are fun now. Yeah. So, so tell us, uh, you mentioned something before the call that you finally got to actually pay yourself. Right. So, so what are the launches like now? Like how, how have they changed?

Erin: Yeah. So, um, my team has grown a little bit. We have, uh, I have my still my original VA, and then we, um, ended up hiring another VA that is kind of under her, which is, I highly recommend, like, get a VA for your VA. Yeah.

Jeffrey: It's next level, next level.

Erin: Um, so we we've had, uh, uh, just a, such a great project. Um, like, uh, what was trajectory, I guess, of like our business and success as we've, we've moved forward, we got more clarity, um, started to build more of a team. Our launches are much smoother. We have data now that helps us to predict things. Um, and so, yeah, like in 2020, I was, we did still grow in 2020 since we were an online business. And, you know, that was still usually pretty, um, intact for most people with online businesses. So people still needed education and support. And so our business definitely grew and grew quite a bit. We introduced like the continuing education part of it. So our launches were getting bigger and bigger. And, you know, we, I think we started 20, 20, 20, like before our first launch in 2020, we had like 40 some members.

Erin: And then now we have like 260 members. So it's amazing. Yeah. So we've grown a whole lot and I paid myself periodically through 2020, but it was not very much. I was just like skimping by, on part-time side job work that I still do as a PT. Um, but then we, um, now in 2021, we're able to pay, I'm able to get like monthly pay for myself. It's still not where I want it to be, but it's like definitely, um, better than it was like it's helpful and consistent. And then we, um, we're able to do like a big profit split after Q1 that, um, was just magical. Like, I, I work with a coach as well, and she last year in 2020, like in August, I made the least money possible. I mean, I think I had $1,600 total for the month of income and it was just not enough to, um, to live on. And I was like, Oh my God, I need money. And she had me put, uh, write a check for my business for $10,000 and put it into my wallet and just like, okay, have that in there so that, you know, this is gonna, you're going to pay yourself that check one of these days. And so I was able to pay myself the check.

Aleyah: Yes,

Erin: Essentially, um, after this quarter. So we're on a roll now.

Aleyah: That is so awesome. That is so awesome. Well, and I just want to say too, in our sessions, um, that I noticed we've kind of evolved from clearing a lot of personal stuff, stuff from the past to getting to have fun with manifesting. And that that's part of our sessions now is, you know, really thinking of specific numbers that you want or need, and, you know, um, connecting your energy with your audience's energy and, you know, getting and really focusing on manifesting in your business and that that's part of spiritual work that you can do as well. That's pretty fun. I think. Yeah. I like doing it with you. It's great.

Erin: Yeah. It's fun. Cause I'm working on manifesting the resources and supports and everything needed to get a house. I mean, you helped me cause I had debt from just trying to build this business and not making enough income. And I, um, you know, I used to work with you to help me manifest the money to pay off $20,000 last year, you know? And I didn't know how it was going to do that. I didn't, I made $40,000 and I paid off $20,000 in debt. Like how does that work? I don't know.

Aleyah: Magic magic. Did it totally like this is the, this is the magic we're talking about, right?

Erin: Yeah, exactly. So now we're manifesting, you know, the next things and we, it's funny actually we've always manifested. Um, cause I have to tell this story cause I, I love cats and my husband,

Aleyah: Yes. My husband

Erin: Doesn't want a cat and he hates cabs. And after my very first call with a Leah and we talked about like, you know, she, you saw a cat in my energy field or something,

Aleyah: A cat with you and

Erin: I love, and I've always wanted a cat. And I, you know, growing up, I had a cat that was really special to me. And, but I wouldn't just had to ignore that urge and desire for one, since he doesn't want one. And so having the conversation with you, it was like, I was really admitting like how much I really did want a cat. And the next day I was out on a run in the trails and my husband texts me like there's a cat on our porch. Why is this cat out here? And I was like, the universe is going to send me cats. I'm sorry. It opened up. And then after that, like all these neighborhood cats like come and hang out on my patio and they come and visit me.

Aleyah: She sent me a picture one day with like four or five cats just lounging in her lounge chairs on her patio.

Jeffrey: That's so beautiful. You don't actually have to go out and own your own cat. Like they're just

Aleyah: Come to you. They'll just have

Erin: Exactly. So don't be afraid if anyone's listening and they're like, I don't want to attract all these cats. Well, that's not what you're going to attract, but for me, that is what I needed. So

Aleyah: Yes, maybe I love that.

Erin: So you have to be attractive, more kitties to my life and more money to my life and paying off debt and clearing relationships. And so it's all onward and upward.

Jeffrey: Yeah. And I love that point. I want to kind of like, just say it again, basically that there there's like kind of two phases, maybe even more like, you know, one of the things that we work on as entrepreneurs is working on ourself and everyone's always saying, you know, the inner game and the inner work, the inner work is the real work, but I think there's two sides to that. Right. One is kind of, um, moving past. Um, and I don't want to say broken pieces, but things that are hard for us, things that are holding us back right. Moving, addressing them and moving past those. But then that second phase is using the same tools in the opposite direction. Right. Once you've got those tackled now you're, you're expanding your conscious, you're expanding your manifesting potential. Your, I don't know how to describe it, but

Aleyah: I hear what you're saying, right? Yeah. Well, you're like clear it out. Then you have room to fill it back up with what you're choosing stuff you're choosing instead of just stuff that's happening to you or happen to you. Yeah.

Jeffrey: Yeah. I love that. It's like a suitcase that you already have full of stuff and you got to empty it out before you put stuff you actually want there.

Aleyah: Yeah. Yeah. And Erin wants cats.

Jeffrey: [inaudible] Oh, awesome. Aaron, this has been so wonderful. Um, where, where can people get ahold of you? And if they're, if they're a, a neuro geek like yourself, what, where can they get ahold of you?

Erin: Yeah. Or even if you're not, and you want to help me in my business because I love having a team and people to work with me to do the things that are not in my strength, but maybe in yours. Yes. Good. Certainly bind me and reach out. But I'm, I'm our website is neuro collaborative.com, but, um, you can find me, uh, neuro collaborative on Instagram. And we also have a Facebook group. If you are a neuro professional neuro collaborative professionals is the free Facebook group. We have like over 3000 people in there that it's just great conversation and networking and con um, just connecting with other people for resources and information. Um, so you can do that, but I also have my personal account. Erin underscore guy Yardo is, um, my name on Instagram, but I mostly just post pictures of, of running. So

Jeffrey: That is so good. Awesome, awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Thank you so much for your time. Thanks for being so open with us about your journey.

Erin: Yay. Thanks for inviting me on and, and having this conversation as fun to talk with both of you at the same time about all of it. It's so helpful. I'm so grateful to both of you, really the it's, um, you know, just helping us move on this trajectory and, and I know so much more successes to come.

Aleyah: Absolutely. We just love you in everything you're doing. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And before we go, I have to give a quick shout out to my dad. Tim. Who's a retired also at PT, and I know he's listening. So now

Jeffrey: Tim, I told you we would fit you in somewhere. This is the perfect episode for that. We love you. All right, everybody. Thank you so much for joining us. And if you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a five star review and hit that subscribe button. You can check out all the show notes and more at the launch squad, lab.com episode 19. All right, we'll see you next time.

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