Dear friend… I’m writing this note in two parts: 1. Before the VIP Consulting Session; and After.

With her permission, Callan Faulkner is allowing me to document her journey to a 8-figure launch this October.

A few details I need share to get this party started off right:

• Callan hired me to consult her personal branding and marketing strategy.
• We were friends, now I’m honored to say she’s a client, too.
• No, I don’t always share my clients’ stories publicly (Callan insisted we share everything so—collectively, as an industry—we rise…let’s GO!).

Monday 1:13pm : En Route to Minnesota

In preparation for my time working with Callan and her team, we’re meeting for a full-day VIP session.

I emailed an onboarding questionnaire last week and though I won’t get into the details, I’m able to share that their goal was Systems and Processes for their Marketing Strategy.

And this?  THIS IS WHERE MY INNER GEEK DANCES WITH MY CREATIVE SOUL.

This is where systems and content basically do the Lambada.

Don’t know what the Lambada is?

Good for you, it’s not for holy eyes.  It’d make Elvis blush.

I always get a bit nervous and excited when I get to consult a new client…and this is an extra sweet opportunity.

In a (rare) personal look into how I’m feeling, it’s also bittersweet.

Every client I’ve worked with, I’ve had my mentor Susan at my side.  She was an ace in my pocket.

She taught me how to think, what to release, and how to get to the core issue of high level strategic opportunities.

When we lost Susan to cancer in June, the hole in my heart felt endless.

When Callan signed as a client, my mentor was the first person I wanted to call.

Before JD dropped me off at the airport, he said, “Remember, Susan is still with you…she left you everything you need…trust it.”

So I trust.

Tuesday 7:46pm : En Route to Newport Beach

Last night Callan hosted dinner for her friends, and she invited me.

I watched the sun set behind lush green trees in her backyard while cicadas sang to usher in the moon.

She grilled filet mignon.  We ate, laughed, and dreamt out loud.

It felt like Self Awareness Summer Camp, but instead of sitting around a campfire roasting marshmallows, we simply said to each other, Tell me s’more.

Close to midnight, I arrived to my Lake Minnetonka house (no, it’s not technically mine, but I acted like it was so one day it will be) and slept with the window shades pulled up.

Sunrise was my alarm and I ate breakfast on an Adirondack chair, my toes tucked in the lush green grass.

When Callan and her team arrived at 9am, we hit the ground running and—like how most of these VIP Consulting Sessions go—we set the intention, then simply created the space to:

• Ideate: Ask WHY, get clear, what are we solving for?
• Conversate: There are no bad questions, we focus on facts (no feelings), we weigh perspectives.
• Co-Create: List action items, set a plan, outline initiatives.

And here’s the best part:  The day ended with high level outline of her brand strategy.

Not her brand itself, but, rather, creating a regularly scheduled time to define it, share it with her leaders, and trust they build it according to her ethos.

It was a beautiful thing to watch unfold.

Most people know Callan for running the top A.I. educational program for entrepreneurs, but I was fortunate to witness her deep desire to help business owners build successful businesses, and have more time to live a full life.

A full life of time, freedom, and even room for play.

What you’ll begin to see is the evolving nature of her brand, messaging, and content to reflect the value she helps create for others.

I can’t wait for you to experience her evolution and (with her permission) be able share her biggest lessons and takeaways as we work together.

Sunrises over Lake Minnetonka,
j*