Is This Even Working? Should I Just Quit my Online business?

Hey sis!

In today’s podcast episode I have an open, honest, raw conversation about IF YOUR THING IS EVEN WORKING AND WORTH PURSUING! My client Beatriz Vargas and I go DEEP on whether her thing still makes sense.

We talk about the realities of having a successful full time job and balancing your God-led calling. We have a heart-felt conversation about what God wants for us vs. what we want for us.

Grab a tissue and take a seat. You’re gonna love this one.

Enjoy.

FULL EPISODE TRANSCRIPTION:

(00:00):

Hey, sweet friends today. I am chatting with one of my clients and friends, Beatriz Vargas from The Grace Fueled Wife, and she is doing all the things. If you’re not a main, she is running a very successful six-figure real estate practice. She is sometimes distance learning, sometimes mom, life in and running a home being present in her marriage, growing in hers, her faith, and all the while pursuing this calling that God placed on her heart.

(00:31):

And what we really got to inside of this coaching session together was the question, should I just give up, like, is this really actually working at what point does this ever make sense for me? And how am I supposed to grow in all of the things when I have such limited capacity? So if it’s been on your heart that questioning that wondering, is this even working? Is this even a worth it? Should I just give up?

(01:00):

Should I just lay it down and get back to the job? Like, what the heck am I doing? Right? Like somebody helped me help myself. This is the episode for you. And if you haven’t had that emotion yet, or those thoughts yet they come and girls so reheat that cold coffee or pop that kombucha, and let’s do this.

(01:31):

The, the good news is that the job like real estate is going really well. That’s good. Good. The bad news is that when that goes, well, it takes up a lot of my time that I had for the podcast. And so I was thinking about this, like a couple of days ago, I was in that space of like, Oh my God, should I just give up the podcast? Yeah. And like, praying, like, okay, God, like, what am I? You know?

(02:37):

Cause when I look at my, my dreams and what I want out of life, essentially, it’s like, I want to be able to make a certain amount of money with some time freedom for my family. Right. And real estate allows me to do that. I’m already, I already have a six figure business in real estate. Sure. You know, and half of that income is, is passive. It’s.

(02:55):

Like I already have the thing that I’m trying build with the podcast. And so when I sat down it was like, then, okay then what should I be doing? But I didn’t feel like God yet saying, okay, stop the podcast. But I also haven’t felt him saying like stop real estate. And so I’m just like, okay, God, I’m just going to keep doing both until God answers me. You know?

(03:21):

And if it means that growing the coaching business and the podcasting business is slower, then it’s fine. It’s slower. And I’ll have grace for myself. And at least I know that, you know, I haven’t another income stream that’s paying the bills, but the hard part is like, that’s a, like a real, that’s a full-time job. Like that’s a real business, you know, that’s a whole total of different social media and clients and DMS and like, there’s that, that I do.

(03:49):

You know? And I remember when I was first having these, these ideas of like, Oh, I want to have a business. I wasn’t yet a real estate agent. Sure. And then during that journey, I was like, well, I might as well get my license. So I got my license. And then, and during the journey it’s been like, well, I really do feel like I want to coach people that I still love.

(04:10):

And so I feel like I, I just want to keep doing the thing and, you know, and then just kind of letting God direct my steps. And so, you know, launching the course, yes. Will I end up maybe relaunching or, or whatever, or maybe I launched, but then it doesn’t start scaling or taking off. Yeah. I remember you sharing a similar story until, you know, maybe six months from now or whatever.

(04:37):

Okay. You know, and I’m not, I’m, I’m okay with that. But it’s really just, just that like finding the balance because I found a really good space where I’ve been present with my kids and present with my husband and like I cook dinner, you know, four or five nights a week. Like those things are important to me, you know, like I’ve gotten my health on track and I lost 25 pounds.

(05:04):

This is all in the past, like three months. So those things are important to me. And so it’s like, well, do I want to give that up at the expense of building two businesses at the same time? Yeah. And so it’s like all great questions be, and I think you’ve answered it for yourself, which was wait.

(05:22):

I’m the same where like, there’s been things where I’m like, what’s the answer, what’s the answer. I’m trying to, to force an answer. And when I just surrendered to it, the answer was so abundantly clear. I mean, abundant, it was a direction from God. Yes or no. And I’m like, Oh, there it was. And like every time, you know, and sometimes he gives it to me immediately and sometimes it was a year.

(05:47):

I don’t think God will have you continue doing both of these things forever, but I don’t think he had you do the grace-filled wife for nothing. I don’t, he, you positioned in real estate for nothing. And so it’s both for now, but how can we, how do you keep this lifestyle that you’re loving right now and continue managing both knowing that really their real estate business is taking off right now? Like what is that?

(06:13):

And I think you just need to give yourself permission for that to be what it means to be grace-filled wife can take a back seat as long as you’re still podcasting once a week. Right. Right. And now you have the course and you could just evergreen market the course on the show. Like it doesn’t need to be a big thing. That’s like, time-consuming,

(06:35):

I mean, I think that’s the part that I’m really looking for it. Cause even with the course, it’s like even to take the time to record the course and I realized that’s just, that’s a matter of just blocking out the time and doing it. I just haven’t been able to do it because of all the, you know, yeah. The son’s in school, then he’s not in school. And then today’s, he’s, he’s in school and then I have, and so I’m like, all right, you know, maybe it’s I block out and three hours a week for the next three weeks, you know what I mean?

(07:07):

Until I get the rest of the courses recorded, I have still been being consistent with putting out my episodes. And so I’m still seeing growth in terms of the podcast numbers. Right. And so I feel okay with that, I was really excited about doing the launch and we talked about like the Facebook group, but getting in there, but that’s going to require more time.

(07:31):

Yeah. So right now that big group is sitting there and I know it’s like, I want to go in and do it, but then it’s like, or I could spend the next three hours working on something for a customer. Who’s a client who’s literally willing to make an offer in the next week. You know what I mean?

(07:48):

So it’s like, what do I do? Do I go do that? Or the thing that will pay me yeah. $5,000, you know what I mean? Like, and I’m going to get that started in the next week. So it’s just, that’s where it goes. You know? So think about this for me.

(08:02):

And there’s, I don’t know the answer, but just being a voice of opinion for you.

(08:10):

If you could finish this course B when you finish this course, it is 100% passive. You’re not laying down Gracefield wife anytime soon that we know of, unless God says too, which I don’t think he will, because I think that you had to walk through that on purpose for it to become a testimony. And who knows what God will do with that, whatever.

(08:30):

But if you have the course, you just mentioned the course in the episodes and you leave it at that and God will send the women to go buy it and you have it. And it’s done. And I believe that that is your passive revenue play. Long-term real estate right now is fire. Right now. It’s making you a great income, but it’s always going to be time for money. Always. There’s that’s going to change about real estate. So imagine if you were like, okay, I’m going to sacrifice this thousand bucks or whatever it would be in real estate for two weeks.

(09:06):

And I’m going to take that six hours. I’m going to gangster this course out. Like I have never gangster or anything out in my whole life so that you can be signed, sealed, delivered, and done with it. Then it’s there. It’s uploaded B every time you do an episode once a week, a nice short 30 minute episode, you pitch your course and you forget about it. And what’s going to happen is your show is growing fast, going to keep growing. People are going to hear you talk about the course every single time, and your sales are going to start trickling it.

(09:36):

You don’t even need a big launch. Forget the launch, just get the course done. And evergreen it, I think because in three years from now, if we think big picture and you’ve got a six or multi six-figure real estate business, and you’re an hour of your time is going to this podcast that God asks you to do. And then over the, over the years you end up making, what if three years you start making a sale a day and now you have another six-figure revenue stream coming from the podcast.

(10:05):

All it is is taking six hours of your time and finishing this course. Right. I guess what’s holding me back. Yeah. Right. If I was, if I was coaching myself, yeah. I would S I would ask myself, like, what’s holding you back from taking the six hours. And I guess what’s holding me back is the thought, and maybe this is from, because I’m a two I’m Enneagram, I’m a two wing seven, like I’m a helper.

(10:32):

And there is this like, thought or fear that I am not servicing my girl, because I’m not showing up in the Facebook group or Instagram or whatever. And so there’s this thing that like, I’m putting out the podcast and then I’m just kind of leaving her out to dry. You know what I mean? And that’s the part where I’m like, well, I don’t want to do that because that’s my girl. And she needs me and you don’t want to show up in those places.

(10:58):

And when I show up in, you know, in the Facebook group, I’m showing up for a hundred people at a time. So that’s scaling a little bit, you know, and I’m still consistently getting people asking to join. And, and I think that’s really the case. Cause it’s like real estate. Okay. What do I have? You know, maybe I’ve got three or four clients at any given time.

(11:18):

There’s maybe there’s three or four clients, but those three or four clients can take, you know, 20, 30 hours a week. And so, yeah. Can I carve out six hours? I could totally carve out six hours. Okay. So that answered. That’s what we do that you can now here’s this, here’s what you just said to me. You are afraid that if you don’t show up woman to woman and, and hold her hand through this process, she’s not going to have a change or reconciliation, a breakthrough, be able to do this work alone. Right?

(11:55):

No, like, I mean, a lot of times when I go in there, I just want to be like, are you guys listening to the podcast? Cause everything I have to say is in there, obviously it won’t say that. But like, that’s what I feel like. Yeah. Right. Yeah. I feel like I put a lot of hours into this podcast and I think that’s the other thing that holds me back from, you know, being on Instagram or whatever. Cause it’s like, I’ve run out of things to say, I’ve literally put everything out there in my pockets. And it is not,

(12:25):

It’s not our responsibility for our Lola’s and our women to do our, to do the work. Right. It’s our responsibility to show up, deliver the messages that God puts in our hearts,

(12:37):

One too many so that we can help as many people as possible. And then trust that God brings the women to you and opens their heart and gives them that confidence to do the work. Like we can’t be responsible for all of the women doing the work. Yeah. It’s not up to us. That’s up to God, but that’s why we’re doing the show. That’s why we’re, that’s why we have the courses.

(12:59):

That’s why you are helping as much as you can add capacity with your life and your life right now, his full-time job, you know, the distance learning the marriage, the whole like, well, okay. So my capacity is show up on the podcast, but don’t you think it’s doing her a disservice to not say there’s also a course here for you. If you need more implementation, no, it’s not be in your pocket in your ear, but it’s more than what’s on the podcast. Right. Right. You know, that’s doing her a disservice to not give her that course. Right.

(13:36):

And you know, it’s funny because I think if she was more active, well, if she was more active with me and vocal on Facebook or Instagram, I would be there. Cause I check it. Yeah. But I don’t check it cause I don’t want to be scrolling. So I check it and I say, do I have any DMS? No. Okay. Cool. To have any questions in the group? No. Okay. And then I move on because if not, I’m going to sit there scrolling and scrolling.

(14:04):

Hi. We don’t need them to tell us, like we don’t need validation that what we are putting out in the world B is not making a difference period.

(14:13):

I think that’s part of my problem too, is that I’m also words of affirmation person. And so I don’t need validation, but it’s, it’s nice to do more, you know?

(14:29):

What’s funny because of the nature of the work that you’re making her do, she’s probably not going to be vocal until she gets a big breakthrough. The work you’re having her do is long-term, she’s probably behind the scenes working this out with God, be as that voice in her ear. Until she sees the breakthrough, which could be years like the fruit that you are sowing in her life, it is not an overnight plant.

(14:57):

It’s going to take sowing and weeding and watering. And she’s going to have to do this work for a long time be, and we don’t know when that is, but guess what? When that testimony happens for you, you’re going to know that that testimony is God-sized right. These are not little wins that you are helping her achieve. These are life wins.

(15:19):

Right. I guess that makes me like, I’ve thought it’s one of those things like I’ve thought about that, you know, but then hearing you say it as confirmation, because for me, it’s like, I just, I keep feeling like, God is like, you’re going to keep working on this business, but it’s going to take longer than other people’s businesses for you to start seeing what other people are, you know? So it’s like comes to that, like it’s okay, don’t compare yourself. So you’re right. I can see it coming on the horizon

(15:51):

And, and what you know, and here’s the thing too, is that you’re called to do like, think about what you’re actually doing B you’re not like, Oh, put a bandaid on your marriage. And I hope that it goes okay for you. You’re like, you’re literally impacting generational change.

(16:09):

You see that you are helping these women either create a literal new lineage because they have to do something really massive and make this really big, scary change or heal something that’s been broken for the good of future generations. Like you’re, you’re empowering this woman to change. God like to basically get the inheritance God has for her by healing, what the world has broken. Like that is a massive annointing over your life. And we don’t get to say that that doesn’t matter because people aren’t DM-ing us.

(16:50):

That’s making me cry too. Like this work really matters and it matters to the kingdom. And so who cares if it doesn’t make money right now, who cares about the good and the seed? And maybe it takes a decade B for one woman to listen to your stuff and go, I’m saying yes to this healing process.

(17:16):

I’m saying yes to what God says over this marriage. Whether it can, whatever God says over the marriage. And you’re giving her the tools and you’re helping her and you’re with her and she takes the course and maybe it just plants itself in her heart for a few years. We don’t know. But what if in 10 years your story happens for her and the marriage is restored and there’s this whole family.

(17:40):

And there, the husband is strengthened through her being the light for, through her being the spiritual leader in the family. And you’ve changed forever. The trajectory of their lives, their kids’ lives, their kids’ kids’ lives because of your podcast because of your car.

(17:58):

Yeah. That is, I mean, I just, I also feel like that is the reason why real estate continues to do well, because I feel like it’s God saying, I’m taking care of you even while I’m doing this other work. So, you know, I, I, this is, I mean, it’s just what I see. I’m like, there’s no other way. He knows me, you know?

(18:26):

And I told him straight out, like close the door. Like I wasn’t even sure if I wanted to join this new company because I, my fear was like, God, is this going to distract me from this Colleen? That I, I feel like you’ve given me, you know, and I’m sitting here, like, I’m not trying to be Instagram famous. Like I just, I feel like you told me to do this thing, so I’m trying to do it. And if I joined this new company, is it going to take me away?

(18:51):

And I said, close the door or open either just open the doors. You want me to walk through close the doors that are not for me. I please do that. And he did. He was just like, Nope, go walk right through. And then I walked through and it’s like, Nope, here. This is for you. And I’m like, okay, but you call me to do this thing. And so that’s why I’m like, I’m just gonna keep doing it, you know?

(19:15):

And it’s just, and I’m okay with that. Yes. You know, I’m, I’m just, I think what I’m getting out of this is just whatever the time is, carve it out to do the course and not even worry about social media and the extras, which are the things that we use to grow our business. No, it’s not even worrying. No, it’s not. Meaning, like to show up with people, you know what I mean? Or like go deeper or whatever. Yes.

(19:47):

Okay. Yes. But I found you through Instagram. I found you through, I did. I found you through Instagram when you were like back when you were coaching network marketers. Because at the time I was a network marketer and I was like, Oh, I like her perfect Instagram feed. Cause I thought that’s what I needed.

(20:06):

See, but that’s where I’m like, anyway, you don’t know, but it’s what I thought I needed. And that you follow me, but guess what? God, you didn’t find me through Instagram. You found me through God.

(20:19):

Oh yeah. Because I, I was, I was going through my accounts to see who I was going to unfollow. Oh, I haven’t seen anything from her in a while. And then I clicked. And at that point you had started the podcast and that was, it was like a long time that I followed you.

(20:37):

And I wasn’t really looking at any of your content. But then when I saw you started the podcast, then I started listening to the podcast. And then after that was like, Oh, that was right. I was like, she’s for me, she’s the coach I’ve been looking for.

(20:49):

Oh, it was the podcast. So here’s the thing that I think that I know to be true. I’ve done 10% of what I used to do on social media. I’ve grown 5000% faster. It’s because the podcast is where you guys hear me and you know, I’m for you. And I think that God sends us all the right women that we need to serve and we don’t have to worry about how. Yeah.

(21:15):

And we laid down all the things that do not bring us joy, happiness, and fulfillment. And for me, and for me and for you, that social media. So like, if you feel led to show up on there a couple days a week, great. But that the other week, I didn’t even re-install it till Wednesday and I don’t care and it was fine and nobody cared, but maybe they care, but I don’t care.

(21:36):

God doesn’t care. Cause he said, podcast, use your voice, help these. Right. And so we don’t have to do this the world’s way be right. So let that stuff go. If you feel led or you got something pops in your heart to share sure. Pop on, share it, share your little your episodes. Great. But like that’s all you have to do.

(21:55):

There is literally no pressure for you to be there. I want you to podcast once a week and I want you to get this course done. That’s it. That’s all you’re going to do, but what you’re doing matters. And I, I don’t, I think what you said earlier where you said this real estate business is exploding. That’s, God’s way of saying here daughter, everything is taken care of for you to continue to associate over here for you continue to pour into these women that need you.

(22:26):

And then we’ll just see how that blossoms. We don’t need to understand it. Right. Nor can we, you just need to show up for it. Like I’m here and I’m here to the, to the amount of Cambie we have a passive answer. Let’s get that done and rock and roll with that. Unless you see what God does. It will make sense. It will make sense later.

(22:47):

Yeah. Because you’re right. Even the passive product is not about the money, but about the help that somebody could get from having the product. Yeah.

(23:00):

You’re doing so good. So just focusing on getting that course done and then evergreen marketing it on the show and that’s it. And living your life and enjoying your life, that’s it. Let social media go for now. You don’t even have, I don’t even care if you delete it. Right.

(23:18):

Thank you. Glad we had this combo. Well, there you have it. So I think from this conversation, my friend, you can see that you shouldn’t give up on the thing that God placed on your heart and you got to keep going. And I think what, one of the biggest takeaways here for me is that why not focus on building the thing as passively and intentionally as humanly while you’re managing your jobs, your life, your things. That way it can organically grow over time.

(23:52):

Because what if I would have been spending the last eight and a half years podcasting sharing my heart once a week, once I figured out what the thing was that my Lola needed to solve her problem. I created a simple course for that. And that was it. What if that’s all I had done, I would be miles and miles and miles farther than I am today. And it would have been that easy.

(24:18):

And also that is something that you guys can do super effectively, efficiently, and simply you don’t have to do all the other things. You just have to do that. One thing I am telling you, girl, it’s where it’s at. It’s figuring out your clarity, wink, wink, number two, starting the show. So you can create impact using your voice and blessing other people with the gifts.

(24:42):

The things are that you have been equipped with the things you have walked through, the things God is asking you to show up for. And then number three, you go all in on the podcast and monetization strategies like a course or a coaching business. When you can, why not build an audience in your spare time? So you can then have the foundation, have the brand, have the collection of super fans to sell to once you figure out what they actually need from you, right?

(25:11):

So wherever you are in those three steps, I can support you. I would love to support you. I would love you to take this leap with me and wherever you are, you don’t get to give up on that dream. Lord, God, I lift up these women. Now I just pray that you would clarify for them, what is next?

(25:30):

That you would pour into them intentional purpose so they can continue to show up for the things that you are asking them to show up for that you break down any plans from the enemy to distract, kill, or destroy the calling and purpose you have for these incredible women. I pray that you put into them, that confidence and belief that they need to show up until they have to show up with you and for you, for your glory and trust and lean into the fact that sometimes it doesn’t make sense.

(26:00):

And sometimes it’s not going to be clear. And the outcome is never going to be 100%, but every single time it will be worth it. If they stay true to it until you make it all make sense, which we know you will. Because as always, your plans are so much better than ours. We surrender our plans for your plan. Sweet father. We pray that you would just continue to foster our growth. We love you so much! In Jesus name. Amen! Love and God’s light! Stef