When he noticed a growing number of women who wanted to turn their side hobby into a full-fledged business, he decided it was time to create a female-focused business movement. Together, Ramsey and Wright created Business Boutique, a series of live events, an online course, a podcast and the recently released book. Create your own opportunities. Wright eventually decided to put her business degree to work and re-enter the corporate world, first in the nonprofit sector and then as a product liaison for Ramsey Solutions. When it starts working and you see it working and the results are verified, that's when you gain confidence. Create a focused personal brand. When it comes to building a personal platform and branding yourself, Wright explains, you need to be clear on who you are, what your values are and what you want to be known for. I help people start and grow businesses. For her, confirming the need meant that before launching the first Business Boutique event in 2015, she conducted years of research. It may happen gradually over six months, but you baby step your way into your ideal schedule."
Christy Wright is a business coach, author, sought-after speaker and Ramsey personality. Yes, that’s Ramsey, as in Dave Ramsey. As Ramsey explained when I interviewed him, he is focused on a long-term legacy that will outlive him. He also shared that each movement within Ramsey Solutions has a face attached to it. When he noticed a growing number of women who wanted to turn their side hobby into a full-fledged business, he decided it was time to create a female-focused business movement. He chose Wright to lead the way. Together, Ramsey and Wright created Business Boutique, a series of live events, an online course, a podcast and the recently released book.
Wright was raised by a single “mompreneur” and has also had successful side hustles herself. After watching her mom run a bakery her whole life, she learned the value of hard work. So much so that in her early twenties she decided to rent a farm — a dream of hers — and launch a horse boarding business to pay the rent. While her peers were going to concerts and brunches, she was bailing hay and mending fences. This is a woman who is not afraid to hustle for what she wants.
In the last year-and-a-half she’s counseled thousands of women on how to turn their passion into a profitable business — to staggering results, Wright reports, such as “women quitting their full-time job that they hate to go home . . . we’re seeing women earn six figures plus, where the year before they earned $900.”
I was excited I met her on her book tour recently to discuss the ins and outs of building a personal brand — while still employed — and what she’s learned are the biggest hurdles and best strategies for aspiring businesswomen. Here are the best lessons I learned from our chat on her tour bus.
Create your own opportunities.
Wright eventually decided to put her business degree to work and re-enter the corporate world, first in the nonprofit sector and then as a product liaison for Ramsey Solutions. About six months into her new position, she had to let a client know that Rachel Cruze, Ramsey’s daughter and another Ramsey personality, wouldn’t be able to speak at 10 scheduled upcoming events. Exasperated, they asked her, “What are we supposed to do?” Wright jumped in and volunteered to take Cruze’s place, even though she had no formal public speaking track record.
Wright shared that she didn’t ask for permission, she just saw the opportunity and jumped. She quoted Sheryl Sandberg, “She says, ‘Some of the greatest career opportunities are not jobs that are posted, but they are problems that you solve and that becomes your position, that becomes your job.’ And that’s certainly been true in my case. I just solved a problem and that thing became my job.”
If you want to become known in your industry, look for roles you can fill while still employed, or needs that need to be met in your industry or local market. If you see an opening, jump.
Fake it ’til you feel it.
When we start to create our own opportunities and stretch ourselves, especially as we start to promote our work or position ourselves as experts, we often immediately face Impostor Syndrome. By that I mean an internal voice saying, What are you doing? You don’t know what you’re doing! You don’t belong here. Who are you to do this? Wright, who instantly began speaking to crowds of 1,000, when she’d never done so much as a mic check before, has some advice.
“Just fake it, just fake it until you feel it. And if you fake it enough times, eventually, that confidence becomes authentic.”
She went on, “I was like, I’m nervous, I’m trembling, but I’m not doing the audience any favors by being awkward and being nervous . . . . I’m gonna fake it as best I can and just pretend like I belong.”
She also recommends putting in as many practice rounds as you can. “Just start speaking. High school reunions,…
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