Amanda McVicker (Host)
Hello and welcome to this week's episode of the OBM Educator. I am so excited because today is going to be day one of the series that I'm doing all throughout December where I am interviewing OBMs. This series is called the Road to OBM Success and it really is just that Everyone who I'm talking to you know it wasn't an easy overnight success. They really did have to work at their business, they had challenges they had to overcome and I'm so excited to be talking with them to share all of that, to just normalize the fact that this is a journey and that, even though someone may look like they have the perfect business, behind the scenes there are struggles, there are triumphs. It is the same as you. So I am really excited to kick off this series with an OBM whose name is Michelle Lawrence.
Michelle is the CEO and founder of Elevate Collective, where she blends her expertise in showit web design with a deep passion for helping female entrepreneurs thrive. As an OBM, Michelle offers her expertise in marketing strategy and operations to help businesses scale efficiently. Whether it's optimizing workflows or refining marketing tactics, Michelle provides the strategic guidance her clients need to streamline their operations and achieve sustainable success. Michelle also specializes in crafting stunning, strategically driven websites that not only capture the essence of her client's brand, but also resonate deeply with their ideal customers, converting visitors into loyal customers. I am so excited about our conversation because Michelle is actually introducing a new offer in her business and she is announcing it here on the podcast and she does have a special discount code for you guys. If you listen through, it'll also be in the show notes, but it's a great conversation about what it means to be multi-passionate and really have a desire to serve, so I hope you guys enjoy the interview and here, we go.
Welcome to the OBM Educator. I'm your host, Amanda McVicker, a veteran OBM who serves six and seven figure entrepreneurs as well as educates new OBMs with the skills and confidence they need to start and grow their own successful online business management business. Follow along as I share valuable insights behind the scenes, sneak peeks and proven strategies to help you build a better OBM business. Well, thank you so much for being here, Michelle. I'm so excited to be talking with you today about your OBM business. Thank you, yeah, I'm so excited to be here, Awesome.
So first this is how I kind of start with everyone I would love for you to tell me a bit about your journey, how it is that you started your business and you started it this year, which is awesome. So what led you to that and how has that journey been?
03:03 - Michelle Lawrence (Guest)
Yeah, so I officially launched my business in May this year, which is really exciting. Previous to that, I was in the marketing industry for about 13 years, so I was a corporate corporate girly. And then I, probably about a year ago, I realized that I was outgrowing my role. A year ago, I realized that I was outgrowing my role.
And my favorite boss ever was retiring, so I was trying to figure out what I was going to do and I actually ended up getting laid off from my job, which, looking back in hindsight, was the best thing that could have happened. And yeah, so I'm a firm believer in collaboration over competition, and that's just not what I experienced in the corporate world. I always felt like something was missing and I knew that I could make a difference, like a difference in small businesses, and help them grow, and I always wanted to be my own boss, so that's kind of where it led me to be here. So that's kind of where it led me to be here.
04:04 - Amanda McVicker (Host)
That's awesome. So what was kind of the catalyst or, like, what brought you to the online space? I know, like for me, I learned about this on Pinterest. Where did you find this hidden gem of an industry?
04:28 - Michelle Lawrence (Guest)
So I actually was following someone locally and she was a virtual assistant and probably for a year I kind of was just following along and I was like you know, that would be really cool to work online and remotely. I love to travel, so I thought that that would be amazing. And then I, everything just happened. And then I woke up one day and told my boyfriend that I was going to start my own business and I just yeah, so then I took a course just to learn kind of the back end and invoicing and everything, and then I launched my company.
04:56 - Amanda McVicker (Host)
That's awesome. So I know a lot of people start as a VA in the industry, but you started as an OBM. So what was the reasoning behind that?
05:09 - Michelle Lawrence (Guest)
Yeah, so the course I took actually was a VA course how to start as a VA and very quickly I think it was probably day two I just realized with my experience and my background in marketing that I could help businesses in a different way. So I love strategy more on the strategy side, so I help businesses in a lot of marketing operations and so, yeah, so I didn't start as a VA, I went right into the OBM role just based on my experience and my background Awesome. So what were some of the challenges? That where a lot of the women right, they didn't. It wasn't collaboration over competition, it was kind of reversed and they would not give me the chance kind of to learn and grow with them.
And I'm a team player and so I didn't really see that in the corporate world. I didn't want to be in that cycle anymore. So I had to do kind of the mind shift when I entered the online space, because it's completely different. Even when I met you like we women supporting women and collaboration, you know, no gatekeeping. If I can help anyone, I will, and I find in the online space all the women I've met so far are exactly like that. So I would say kind of mindset and then also imposter syndrome. Of course many people have it and then just picking myself up when something would happen and keeping going, I guess.
07:06 - Amanda McVicker (Host)
Okay, yeah, so have there been any tips that you've kind of gathered along the way and how to help with that, like to keep moving on after disappointment or anything like that?
07:20 - Michelle Lawrence (Guest)
Yeah, so I think having a really good support network is very important. So I joined all the groups. So I joined some in person local groups of women entrepreneurs and then also some Facebook groups and ones online. So just having that support network, getting on group calls, having someone to call that understands what you're feeling. Of course other people support you and my boyfriend is the biggest support, but he's never been an entrepreneur or worked in kind of the corporate world. So it's just nice to have somebody or a bunch of people to be able to lean on and have them just pick you up and keep going. So the group calls really helped me. When I was feeling down on a day I would go to the group call and then I'd come out of it feeling really empowered and ready to take the next step, realizing that everyone felt what I was feeling.
08:22 - Amanda McVicker (Host)
I love that the community has been such an important part. It was something like I didn't realize that I was missing in like my nine to five when I was working there. But you're right, like it's like when you are starting your own business and I have a spouse who me, but has no idea what I'm talking about. So being able to like turn to someone else, to like another community, to be like, oh my gosh, this happened. And then they'd be like yeah, yeah, that's happened. Yeah, and this is how I've gotten through it has been so helpful, yeah.
09:03 - Michelle Lawrence (Guest)
Everyone has been through what I was going through like an entrepreneur. And, yeah, it's just the community and you're like, oh, you know, I think a lot of solopreneurs feel lonely and like they're in it on their own because they don't have coworkers, right. So then having that community to lean on is really important for sure.
09:27 - Amanda McVicker (Host)
Yeah, definitely so. In your business you know you're offering OBM services, everything like that you ended up making a shift. Do you want to talk about that?
09:41 - Michelle Lawrence (Guest)
I did so. I launched officially in May as an OBM. I got a few clients right away, which was amazing, and my one client actually needed a new website and I just offered. I had done a few in the past and I just offered and she really pushed me to keep going because she's, like you're really good at this, like you need to do this. So I then I found, show it the platform that I design on and I absolutely love it, and that's kind of what happened. And then I realized that I want to be an OBM and help small businesses grow, but I also want to be able to support female entrepreneurs with their websites and marketing and their messaging and just kind of bring it all together.
10:35 - Amanda McVicker (Host)
I love that. I can relate in like this, like multi passionate kind of view of things, right. So like I am a full time OGM and I also do mentoring and like have the podcast and all that stuff and they're complimentary, but they are two different things and essentially like two different businesses and it's hard to balance that. And I would think that this is kind of the same thing with, like OBM retainer and building websites like they're complementary but they really are two different things. So how do you balance that?
11:11 - Michelle Lawrence (Guest)
Yeah, so they definitely can go together. So I could be an OBM for someone that does need a website, so they could go together. But I basically do have two businesses, but it's all under one name elevate collective and I am still trying to figure that out, um, how to balance the two. But right now I'm trying to do certain days that I do OBM work and then certain days where I do design work, but it all just depends on what my OBM client needs that month or that week and then how many projects I have on the go for design.
So I don't think there's any one right way to do it. It is a balancing act, but it's 100% doable and I love it. As long as you're passionate about both of them, then it's. It's not really. I know they always say it's not work if you love it, but it's true, because you get up in the morning and you're like, oh you know, I get to design this really exciting website and work with them and just bringing it all together is awesome.
12:16 - Amanda McVicker (Host)
So yeah, still figuring it out. Yeah, I mean definitely, I think it's encouraging to probably those listening. I think a shift that we're seeing in the online space is more multi-passionate people. As we learn different things, how to do different things, like we enjoy doing different things, and it can be kind of limiting to say, well, you can't do that because you're doing this, and so to see that there are successful entrepreneurs out there living their multi-passionate dreams, I think that's really encouraging. Yeah, for sure.
13:00 - Michelle Lawrence (Guest)
I think if you want to do something, do it. I think it takes. When you first start your business, you have one view on what you're going to do and then, I think, very quickly you realize what you like and what you don't like doing and you are your own boss, so you can decide if you don't like doing something and you don't have to do it. So yeah, I mean it works the other way, right.
13:29 - Amanda McVicker (Host)
Like, if you're dispassionate about something else, don't do it Exactly.
13:35 - Michelle Lawrence (Guest)
And if you want to do something, even if they don't compliment each other, I still think, go for it, yeah definitely Love that.
13:45 - Amanda McVicker (Host)
Okay, so in your opinion, how essential do you feel a website is for an OBM today?
13:53 - Michelle Lawrence (Guest)
So I was thinking about this one this morning and I actually have conflicting thoughts. I know a lot of VA and OBM coaches teach that you don't need a website, and I 100% agree with that as well. So I know some OBMs that don't have a website who are fully booked out, and then I know other OBMs who got booked out because of their website.
So it really goes both ways. Obviously, I'm biased because I truly believe in websites as a marketing tool and, of course, things like word of mouth and social media are so important to help you with exposure and brand awareness. But there are other advantages of websites. It could be credibility, you know, showing up as an authority in your industry, having a professional brand. And then also for lead gen and conversions right when someone comes to your website. You would have a lead capture form. You could start doing a newsletter or email signups, offer free resources, Like. There's a lot of different advantages of a website. So I think there's no one right way to do anything, but I think there are advantages for sure. I'm behind.
15:07 - Amanda McVicker (Host)
Well, definitely, I know, when I first started my OBM business I'm trying to remember the timeline I think I might've had something up as a VA, but when I made the transition to OBM, I really did put more effort into my website. I mean it wasn't anything special, like, honestly, like the main part of it is that it listed my services and I mean, to be honest, I did not get clients from like Googling my name, googling OBM, like that's not how I got clients. That's not why the website was beneficial to me. It was beneficial to me because when I did get a referral, that was the first place they went. That and my social media and so they were able to go to my website to see how I did my business.
I remember my first client like she still tells the story that it was like she heard my name before she even reached out to me. She went to my website, she signed up for my lead, my lead capture form. She saw the nurture sequence that I put her through. She saw how everything was set up and she was like, okay, she knows what she's doing.
Let me reach out to her and fill out her application and everything I love that, and so I definitely like agree that you don't need a website, but what it does, like you said, it provides credibility and it showcases what you can do Like part of it. Sure, I've created a few websites as an OBM. They could see that from my website whatever that I put together, but they could see the different platforms I was using through my website. They could see, like you know, what I was recommending in my blog posts and like all of that stuff, and so I think that it was a nice addition to my client or my potential clients, hearing my name and then looking to see what I was about.
17:20 - Michelle Lawrence (Guest)
Yeah, I love that. One of the reasons I got my first client was because she found me in a Facebook group and then went to my website and I had just thrown up a single page website for OBM and listed my services. I did my own branding and everything and it looked professional. And she said, like you know, so I guess I did my own branding and everything and it looked professional. She said, I guess I add my own use case, my own case study. I love that. You don't need it, but there are a lot of advantages. I could talk all day on them, but it definitely helps for sure.
18:02 - Amanda McVicker (Host)
If someone was just starting out as an OBM or they're making that transition and they don't have a lot of time, don't have a lot of resources or whatever, what would you say are like the most critical elements of a website for them to have?
18:16 - Michelle Lawrence (Guest)
Yeah, so I think that there are a lot of resources out there. I think one of the main aspects I guess would be a really strong brand and clear messaging. A website should tell a story. So when someone comes to your website, they should be able to read it, understand exactly what you do very quickly and connect with you. So when they're reading and they're finding out about you, you're putting in your personality into it and they read it and they're like I need this girl in my life, like I need this. So that's really what the website is supposed to do. So I would say the most critical for an OBM is clear messaging on your services. If you have a portfolio, you can put portfolio pieces. Even if you came from the corporate world, you can repurpose some of that. And yeah, I would say just having clear calls to action and just yeah, actually no I just thought of one client testimonials too.
The more clients you get. You can put on testimonials and obviously, having a lead capture form is very important.
19:25 - Amanda McVicker (Host)
Yeah, definitely. Do you see or like, can you think of common mistakes that OBMs make or new OBMs make with their website? Definitely.
19:35 - Michelle Lawrence (Guest)
And I don't think it's just OBMs either. I think it's a lot of-
19:39 - Amanda McVicker (Host)
I think that's just the audience listening right now.
19:44 - Michelle Lawrence (Guest)
But yeah, no 100%. But the most common mistake I would say is lack of clear messaging, and so I think when someone first starting their business and they finally go through the process, they finally figure out what they're going to offer. Being able to convey that to someone is, I think, a challenge sometimes. So lack of clear messaging. Someone once said to me you know, if your grandma can go on your website and understand what you do, then you're doing it right. I love that. Yeah, it was kind of funny. And another mistake I would say would be no clear call to action Like book now schedule a call, pre-discovery call, just making like telling them what they need to do and where they need to go, and then probably not optimizing for mobile.
20:39 - Amanda McVicker (Host)
That's a big one, I always get tripped up on that, like with my own website. Yeah, it's been so many times I like look at a page that I didn't realize that was not good for mobile and I was like, oh, yep, that's what everyone has been seeing when they have worked on this. Yay, yeah, yep, yep, definitely happens. So you have a new offer that's coming out. Do you want to talk about it? I do, I'm really excited, uh.
21:09 - Michelle Lawrence (Guest)
So today, December 5th, I'm launching my show at website template shop, so it's called the elevate boutique, and I'm really excited because I know female entrepreneurs when you're first starting your business, every penny counts. You might not have the resources to hire someone to do a complete website for you, so I really wanted to create something at a lower price point that online service providers whether an OBM, a VA, you're a VA coach could be podcast agency. Whoever you are, if you're an online service provider, I want to be able to help you with your website. So it is very exciting.
21:55 - Amanda McVicker (Host)
So I'm launching today and so basically, yeah, launching today, and so basically, yeah, I mean that, like pause, take a second celebrate that.
22:08 - Michelle Lawrence (Guest)
that is so exciting. It is really exciting. Um, I know sometimes I'm not very good at that. Yeah, no, I get that to celebrate even the small wins and the big ones. Yes, I'm working on that, but yeah, so I just saw that there was a need for it and I really do believe in it. It's gonna save you hours and hours of time. So I have seen so many DIY websites, which I appreciate the effort that went into them and, right, the resourcefulness when you're starting your business, and I appreciate that. I love it. But I just thought there had to be a better way. So that's why I created this template, so they're very, very easy. You purchase it, you get an email, you download the code, sign up for the show at platform, which is actually a little bit cheaper than ones like Squarespace the show at platform, um, which is actually a little bit cheaper than ones like squarespace and you just it all. Literally all you have to do is put in your brand colors, your logo, your pictures and your copy you can just do that.
You can, you can customize it yourself if you want, if you feel like you can um yeah, so there's no text there's no coding, there's no big price tag. Yeah, so there's no tech, there's no coding, there's no big price tag, and I'm really excited and I think they're really going to help for sure.
23:28 - Amanda McVicker (Host)
Yay, that's awesome. And then I think there's a discount code for listeners of the podcast. You want to share a little bit there.
23:37 - Michelle Lawrence (Guest)
There is. So Amina and I are partners now, so anyone listening you can go onto my website and use the affiliate code OBMEDUCATOR, so you're going to get 10% off any services or products. And I'm actually running a launch special as well to announce my template shop launch.
23:59 - Amanda McVicker (Host)
That is so exciting and for those listeners listening today, december 5th, or, you know, throughout this week, you are one of the first people to know about this, which is so exciting. Yeah, and I think it's going to be amazing. I know when I was first looking for my website, like it was just the standard templates that were in there and it definitely showed, and so I think having like professionally designed templates that are made one for the service provider, like you know, Michelle, has it in her head what a service provider needs on their website, and she's created that in these templates.
Um, having something like that that's so easily, like you know, plug and play, put it in there, make it live is going to be so helpful and save so much time. Um, when it comes to your website and I think um, you know Michelle and I were talking right before this that you know this is a perfect time to be creating your website you know a lot of people I've been talking about this in my social media content that you know People are going to start hiring OBM service providers at the beginning of 2025. Like, they're probably taking a break right now, get ready for the holidays, kind of like get through this, but it's still a really busy time for them, right. Like they still have Black Friday, they still have the holiday season trying to build up their sales, but they're probably just not going to be hiring for it right now, and so they're going through all of this holiday rush, realizing I cannot do this by myself anymore. And so, come January, they're going to be looking for who they want to hire.
And you want to be ready, you want to have your website in place, you want to have your services in place. You want to have all of that ready to go so that when they are looking for you at the beginning of January, you're there, you're ready for them, and so this is like the perfect time. Things are a little bit slower. You could probably have a little bit more time to invest in putting together a website and getting that live. So I think that all of this has just lined up perfectly. So, if you're listening and you have been thinking about, you know, getting a website together, updating your website, putting something new together I think this is your sign to go ahead and do that.
26:41 - Michelle Lawrence (Guest)
I think it is too. That's a really good point. Is everyone's going through like Black Friday, right? The craziness, all of that? They need help. So I actually do have a couple of clients because I also offer a website in a week and website in a day packages. So I'm a firm believer in web design should not take three to six months to get a final product. I am all about efficiencies and I know when you start your business you need it, like yesterday. So I do have those packages, so I am designing a few for online service providers that are announcing, I guess, their new website in January.
So, they have the exact same thought. It's like you know, I'm doing this now, at the end of the year, so I can be prepared for January. Yeah.
27:34 - Amanda McVicker (Host)
I love that. Yay, this is so exciting. Yeah, it is. I love that, yay, this is so exciting. So, to wrap up, I wanted to ask if there's any advice that you would give to other OBMs who are looking to start their business or build their business, or maybe even like add in an additional offer or service into their business.
27:56 - Michelle Lawrence (Guest)
Yeah. So I think I probably have a lot, just from what I've seen, what I've experienced, what I've heard from other OBMs. I think if you're looking to build or scale, just in general, having really clear boundaries and withhold or I guess, upholding them is very, very important. So having clear boundaries on your working hours, your response time, your scope and sticking to them. So there are a lot of people out there that will push your boundaries and steamroll right over you and, of course, us, being who we are, we want to. Some people are people pleasers. They want to say yes to everything and that is a very good way to burn out.
I experience a lot of burnout in the corporate world, so I'm trying to be more conscious and self-aware and I'm very good with my boundaries now. It does take work, but you definitely need to stick to your boundaries. And then I also would say, focus on client relationships and retention. So when you do get clients, treat them well, you know like they believe in you, they support you and it's a lot easier to grow in a role than to find a new client. It's a lot easier to grow in a role than to find a new client.
And if you can take, you know, if you start at 10 hours a month and instead of having 10 clients at 10 hours a month, it's a lot easier and I think anyway, to have, you know, four clients at 30 hours a month. So you know, just because you're starting at 10 hours a month, most likely you will just build trust and they will see how good you are at your job and then they're going to either offer you more hours or an increase in scope, or you just ask for it. I think a lot of OBMs just don't ask. They maybe are too shy or they don't want to bother their clients, but if you just ask a lot of times they're like yeah, I actually do need help with that, right, so you're just building trust with them. So that's kind of that's my two things, yeah.
I love that, that I would tell anyone, probably in the online space.
30:18 - Amanda McVicker (Host)
Yeah, and I think it's so important, like for OBMs. Like I mean, like you said, with the boundaries, no one else is going to hold your boundaries for you, um, but I think of OBM as such a long-term relationship that, as long as it's a good fit that you know you should expect to be with them for years and when you, like you know, create that relationship, that working relationship, and nurture it that way, like that's what you can expect. That's why I think, like OBM is one of the most sustainable businesses that you can have, is because, as long as they have a business, you have a client. Well, yay, thank you so much, Michelle, for being on the podcast, for sharing about your business and your new offer, and for the discount code. Remember, if you are wanting to check out the templates that are launching today, you can use the code OBMEDUCATOR to get 10% off. But, yeah, thank you so much for being here.
31:30 - Michelle Lawrence (Guest)
Yeah, thank you for having me. I started listening to your podcast when you launched it and it's kind of full circle now because I get to be on it and also just helping other female entrepreneurs being able to launch. So, yeah, the template shop is live, so go check it out and I'm always here if you need help designing it. A lot of people buy the templates and realize they don't have the time, so if you need help or anything, I'm always here, or just advice for sure. Yeah, that was awesome. Thanks, Amanda. Yep, thank you.
32:07 - Amanda McVicker (Host)
Thanks for joining me for this episode of the OBM Educator. I hope what you heard today is helpful for you on your OBM journey. If you loved today's episode, I would so appreciate you sharing it and leaving a review on your favorite podcast platform. Want to be a guest on the OBM Educator? Fill out the form in the show notes and I'll be in touch. Join us next time on the OBM Educator.