248: 3.5 Months to Go: Introducing a Better Way to Achieve Year-End Business Goals Without the Burnout

Mom Founder Imagination Hub

Hey there, amazing moms and dream chasers! This week, I opened up about my journey as a mom and entrepreneur, and I can't wait for you to dive in. We’re chatting about why keeping your energy and momentum high is key, especially as we near the year’s end. I’ll share my go-to tips for handling the distractions and pressures that come with balancing mom life and business. Plus, get ready for some savvy strategies to craft a year-end networking plan that helps you build valuable connections without zapping your energy. From my quest to become a top Amazon bestseller to my dream interviews with big names like Gary Vaynerchuk and Suzy Batiz, I’m here to prove that you can totally chase your dreams while still rocking your mom role. Don’t miss out on this fun and insightful episode!

Plus, discover Never-Before-Shared Secrets I've Used to Help Moms Like You Tailor Success to Your Business and Family! Join My FREE LIVE Masterclass on September 23, and also 24th exclusively for Mom Business Owners—Sign Up Today!" Master Your Year-End Networking: Build Profitable Relationships For Business Growth in 30 Days Without Burnout: https://www.melissallarena.com/masterclass/

In this episode, you will hear:

• How to keep your unique essence of both a mom and business leader while going after those big entrepreneurial goals.

• The real talk on the hurdles we face and how to tackle them.

• Why staying pumped and on track is a game-changer for hitting your goals.

• Tips for building awesome relationships without draining your energy and avoiding burnout.

• How to ditch those self-doubts and own your business superpowers.

• Why having a clear picture of your goals is crucial for both business and personal success.

• How to stay healthy and happy while juggling motherhood and entrepreneurship.

• The power of community and collaboration among moms in business.

We’re halfway through September, and if the thought of the months ahead is draining your energy, stick with me—I’m going to show you how to stay energized and finish this year strong. Avoiding burnout is the name of the game and I have found a solid way that is rarely discussed. What if I told you that profitable networking is not just another task on your to-do list, but actually the most energy-efficient way to grow your business and finish the year strong?

Hey, everyone! Before we dive in, as promised all the details about my masterclass are here—in the show notes. If you’re ready to take action now, just head over to www.melissallarena.com/masterclass to sign up. But first, a message from our sponsors i.e.

This episode is brought to you by: Master Your Year-End Networking: Build Profitable Relationships For Business Growth in 30 Days Without Burnout: https://www.melissallarena.com/masterclass/

A LIVE one-hour masterclass for visionary mom business owners: Close the year strong with the proven "Imagination to Impact to Income Method™" to manage time, energy, and stay focused through gatekeeper-free networking. 👉The key to rapid business growth spurts for mom business founders is a clear focus on building business networking relationships that pack a punch, allowing you to achieve maximum results in your limited time. Join me to craft your own focused year-end networking strategy that you'll actually execute. We'll unleash creative thinking for both your strategic approach and ways to keep your energy high, not drained! ​Now, let’s talk about (Mom)entum—a word that starts with “mom” for a reason. We all need it to hit those big business breakthroughs. But let’s be honest, this year feels a bit more challenging than the last. I’ve been running my coaching practice for 13 years now, and trust me, I’ve seen how unpredictable things can get, especially during a political season.

Between the craziness of creating endless content to feed the social media machines and the competition heating up as everyone scrambles to hit their year-end goals, it’s easy to feel drained. And let’s not forget all the other demands on our “mom” time from now until December. Seriously, who’s in charge of everyone else’s calendar? Finding the energy to keep going—and maintain that momentum—is tough, especially for us moms running a business. But here’s the thing: managing your energy is key. It determines whether you achieve your goals or settle for less than what you secretly want.

Early in my business journey, I realized I didn’t have to sacrifice my vision if I could find the most energy-efficient path to boost my credibility, expand my reach, and earn greater income. Instead of relying on ads or algorithms, I focused on building profitable relationships—a much more reliable path to income.

And that’s when I developed my Imagination to Impact to Income Method™. It all starts in an unlikely place for moms—our imagination. It’s the most untapped source of energy for adults, and our kids know it well. I’ve used it to achieve tangible goals like becoming a #1 bestseller, landing incredible podcast guests like GaryVee and Suzy Batiz, getting featured in major media like the Wall Street Journal, and hitting five-figure months—all while being a mom.

This is exactly why I want to invite you to my masterclass, "Master Your Year-End Networking: Build Profitable Relationships For Business Growth in 30 Days Without Burnout." I’ll be giving you a step-by-step roadmap so you know you’re doing the right things to get and keep the attention of even the busiest high-profile contacts. You’ll stay moving forward, even if you’ve struggled with impostor syndrome. Plus, you’ll discover an energy source you never imagined possible—one inspired by your mission and your kids! This is the same method that has worked wonders for me.

In this masterclass, you’ll learn how to:

• Reimagine your company vision to energize you so you can exceed your 2024 goals and still have the energy to thoroughly enjoy the holidays.

• Find a clear relationship-building focus for your business, allowing you to harness your energy on things that have a longer-lasting impact than those 5-second posts that disappear into the void.

• Navigate impostor syndrome proactively and become unstoppable, sparing yourself the energy drain of feeling bad about what’s actually a normal feeling.

So, pick a date and time that works for you, and you’ll automatically be registered:

• September 23 at 12 pm CST

• September 23 at 7 pm CST

• September 24 at 10 am CST

Remember, all the information is in the show notes, and you can sign up right now at www.melissallarena.com/masterclass.

P.S. Show up LIVE to my free class and you will get a BONUS 30-Day Profitable Networking Action Plan and Tracker that connects your vision to daily actions! It’s a smart, actionable, and mom-friendly planner to map out your 30-day networking activities to keep you focused on the right things. It also sees to it that you replenish your energy to prevent burnout.

EXTRA bonus for showing up LIVE is that you will be entered into a drawing to be a podcast guest on the Mom Founder Imagination Hub.

Can’t wait to see you there!

About Melissa Llarena

Melissa is a bestselling author (learn more on www.fertileideas.com), imagination coach behind the Fertile Imagination to Networking Success Group Coaching Program, consultant, speaker, contributor to ForbesWomen articles that have garnered 4 million-plus views, and the podcast host of the Mom Founder Imagination Hub. Featured guests include GaryVee, Beth Comstock, Suzy Batiz, David Meltzer, and hundreds of other unconventional thinkers. Melissa has been featured in the WSJ, Business Insider, Fox Business, CNN Money, The Huffington Post, and other publications. She holds a psychology degree from NYU, an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, and a Transformational Coaching Academy certificate and is training to become a meditation practitioner. Melissa lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and three sons (one singleton and a set of identical twins).

Quotes, that can change your perspective:

“So here's what I realized. I didn't want to dilute my dreams. I also never wanted to amputate myself and pretend I am not a mom. It is integral to my identity. I am both and more.”

“But one thing I do know is that we need momentum to achieve business growth without feeling burnout and seldom do we feel that lift because we have so many things coming at us, grabbing and vying for our attention.”

“And not just like responsibilities, we're talking about things that at our cellular level, we feel it. Like we know, when we're not paying attention to what matters.”

SHARE this episode and boost to finish the year strong! Dive into the tips and strategies that will help you stay energized and rock your business goals. Head over to www.melissallarena.com/masterclass to sign up and get the step-by-step roadmap to building profitable relationships. Let’s harness that (Mom)entum and make the rest of this year your best yet!

Supporting Resources:

Schedule a free call to see if Fertile Imagination to Networking Success my signature program is the right fit: https://www.melissallarena.com/sessions/

Podcast: Mom Founder Imagination Hub: https://www.melissallarena.com/podcast/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MelissaLlarena/

Or, grab for free your copy of the “From Contact to Connection: The Mompreneur's Go-First Networking & Follow Up Playbook”: https://witty-thinker-2643.ck.page/21e52edb87

Subscribe and Review

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TRANSCRIPT

00:00:00 Melissa: I didn't want to dilute my dreams. I also never wanted to amputate myself and pretend I am not a mom. It is integral to my identity. I am both and more. Don't get me started on my zodiac sign, which is a Gemini. And so for me, I didn't wanna change what I wanted to pursue. I wanted to be a number one Amazon bestseller. I wanted to have Gary Vaynerchuk on this podcast in episode 10. I wanted to interview Suzy Batiz, the inventor of Poo-Pourri. And so for me, I had to figure out another way because I wasn't gonna let go of my mom obligations.

00:00:43 Melissa: Welcome to the Mom Founder Imagination Hub, your weekly podcast to inspire you to dream bigger. Plan out how you're gonna get to that next level in business, find the energy to keep going, and make sure your creative juices are flowing so that this way you get what you really want rather than having to settle. Get ready to discover how Mom Founders have reimagined entrepreneurship and motherhood. Ever wonder how they do it? Tune in to find out and stretch yourself by also learning from diverse entrepreneurs who might not be moms, but who have lessons you can tailor about how you can disrupt industries and step way outside of your comfort zone. I believe every mom's superpower is her imagination. In this podcast, I'm gonna give you the mindset, methods, and tools to unleash yours. Sounds good? Then keep listening.

00:01:36 Melissa: We are halfway through September. Like where does the time go? I mean, for me, this is the moment in the year where I start to really reevaluate how I want to achieve my year end goals. And maybe that's the same for you. And we're gonna talk about the number one way that I've been able to really figure out how to get some energy, maintain my energy through the end of the year and knock out my business goals. Alrighty, so before I say anything, I just wanna be really upfront. If you're watching me on YouTube, you're gonna see, I might be referring to some notes because today's episode is ultra important.

00:02:21 Melissa: And yeah, I might look a little bit like a newscaster, but bear with me because I promise you that this conversation can change your life, your destiny, and the way that you get to the end of this year. Alrighty, so here we go. I wanted to just also say that in the show notes, I'm going to be mentioning the same URL that if you're watching on YouTube, you're going to see right underneath me, MelissaLlarena.com forward slash masterclass. So you'll be able to absolutely sign up for what I'm about to share with you right in the show notes, wherever you're listening or watching this episode.

00:02:59 Melissa: Alright, so now let's get to something that I realized just, I would say, two years ago. This word, momentum, have you noticed, if you look at the word, it starts with mom. And oftentimes, as a mom, it is really hard to gather the energy and maintain the energy to get to the end of the year. And there's a lot of reasons why, but one thing I do know is that we need momentum and seldom do we feel that lift because we have so many things coming at us, grabbing and vying for our attention, especially now through December. And so I also started thinking, okay, what's different about this particular year?

00:03:49 Melissa: Here we go. This is a political year. It's the year where if you wanted to pour all your effort to ad spend, you're going to be paying more for ads because we have a lot of campaigning going on. This is also a time when we can get lost in trying to figure out, once again, how to really take advantage of the algorithms on social media. And I'm not even going to get into the fact that now Google might be changing the way that you can get that SEO juice on our business. Don't even get me started because that's another change that I've heard and I'm just not here for it. This is not my Melissa has to figure out something new era And if you feel the same way Definitely pay close attention to what I'm about to say.

00:04:40 Melissa: So, you know, I've been in business for 13 years and I have noticed a lot of people who started when I did let's say 2013 or 2011 now and they might look very far ahead of me like any given year, if you were to look at like Louis Howes, or if you looked at, you know, Rami Sethi, or anyone who's killing it online, and I just mentioned men, but there are women too, moms specifically, like they just seem to be like nailing it hard every single year. And as a mom, and maybe you can relate, it's really hard to keep up that pace if you are also in the middle of growing your family.

00:05:24 Melissa: Maybe you have other ambitions and you relocated to another country. Maybe for you, you have a child that has different abilities and you have to go to a lot of medical appointments. Like we got a lot of stuff coming out at us that make us different than other people who might not have the same sense of responsibilities. And not just like responsibilities, we're talking about things that at our cellular level, we feel it. Like we know, when we're not paying attention to what matters. And so that's why I wanted to just share with you something that I realized over the last 13 years, having had my coaching practice and being a mom to three little boys, identical twins in that mix.

00:06:08 Melissa: So here's what I realized. I didn't want to dilute my dreams. I also never wanted to amputate myself and pretend I am not a mom. It is integral to my identity. I am both and more. Don't get me started on my zodiac sign, which is a Gemini. And so for me, I didn't wanna change what I wanted to pursue. I wanted to be a number one Amazon bestseller. I wanted to have Gary Vaynerchuk on this podcast in episode 10. I wanted to interview Suzy Batiz, the inventor of Poo-Pourri. And so for me, I had to figure out another way because I wasn't gonna let go of my mom obligations. And that's exactly why I came up with a method after a lot of trial and error and walking my clients through the same concept that is called the imagination to impact to income method. Here's the thing.

00:07:12 Melissa: What I realized was integral to actually getting to where I wanted to get to at any point of the year, in any season of motherhood, was this idea that I needed to use my imagination. And if you read my book, I refer to it as a fertile imagination, which is the ability to envision something you may have never seen a mom do before, certainly not in your circles, which is why I've had to go outside of my circles. Because I can't say I was raised in a community of mom podcasters or mom authors.

00:07:45 Melissa: So for me, this is completely new territory and I didn't want to bump and save myself along the way. And what I realized also in that method, it is something that other moms can go through and repeat and tailor for themselves.

00:08:03 Melissa: And the place where I have put this method to the best use, when it comes to my business growth goals and my ability to be a present mom, has been in what I call 'profitable networking.' You know how everyone else is chasing after, as I mentioned the algorithm, or join those ads, or trying to figure out, like, what's hot and heavy in terms of content marketing these days? Well, I have been on my end, building relationships with some of the most beautiful and most powerful individuals in the world.

00:8:38 Melissa: I mean, you could just check out my guest list on this very podcast. And I've used my method in order to secure those relationships in a genuine and authentic and long-lasting way where there's value on both ends, where I bring my whole self to the table. I don't pretend I'm not a mom. I am both, and I am myself. And I might even crack some jokes to build that rapport with individuals. So here's where I'm going with this. This method is something that I want to share with you. I wanna tell you all about it. And today, right now, this moment is a big one. Are you ready for it? All right, get listening'.

00:9:26 Melissa: I wanna invite you to my masterclass. This is the name of the masterclass, 'How to Craft a Focus Year-End Networking Strategy to Build Profitable Relationships in 30 Days.' And here's the thing, you can do that and be drained at the end of the year. But no, in this masterclass, here's the big difference. I'm gonna teach you how to do this without, without draining your finite mom energy.

00:09:56 Melissa: What if you get to the end point of this year feeling exhilarated and enthusiastic? Because enthusiasm, you need that if you're having these amazing conversations with prospective investors, clients, partners, podcast guests, you name it, right? So that is gonna be core to what I'm going to teach you during this live and free master class for mom founders.

00:10:20 Melissa: So here's the thing, here's what's gonna happen during the actual live masterclass. And attending live is going to have its rewards, listen for them. But here's what we're gonna do. So I'm gonna give you a step-by-step roadmap. So this way you know that you're doing the right things, right? And also, so this way you know what it takes to get the attention of even the busiest, high profile contacts. Because a lot of the times you're one relationship away from true business growth.

00:10:52 Melissa: And I mean, for me, it's happened on several occasions. One business relationship away from being a best seller, one business relationship away from moving to Australia where we expatted as a family, you name it, you could be one conversation away from changing your life. And I wanna help you understand how to position yourself during this live masterclass on September 23rd.

00:11:18 Melissa: Check out the link in the show notes. Check out the link under my face, if you're looking on YouTube. Sign up right now. Okay, so here's what else we are going to do. You're gonna understand how to do the impossible, even if you feel like a fraud. You know, imposter syndrome, I did a poll on LinkedIn the other day and I asked, does it ever go away? It was unanimous. Everyone said, "No, it does not go away." So why are we trying to suppress that feeling? I'm gonna teach you a method that has worked for me that's part of my own overarching method, imagination to impact income method that helps me do things even if I feel nervous or awkward or weird, or just like I'm not made for that just yet, right? I don't have all the credentials.

00:12:10 Melissa: So you're gonna learn that also in the masterclass, and 'focus'. That is the third idea. That is a third really big idea that as a mom, we need to figure out. Because if we are not in control of where we place our attention, where we place our focus, then everyone else is going to grab your attention and distract you. So that is important if you really want to make strides in terms of your goals at the end of this year and beyond, okay? While not draining your mom energy. That is the biggest, biggest difference. While not draining your mom energy because there's no use in accomplishing so much and then ending up in a hospital or ill or drained and unable to care for your family. That is not worth it.

00:12:58 Melissa: So join the masterclass. It is free. Sign up in the link below. And this is part of what we will do. So this method that I speak of, right? We could call it the 'I.I.I. method,' right? It has worked for me and I have seen it in practice work for moms with very different life experiences. So in this masterclass, I have full confidence that you're gonna be able to take away insights that are going to be actionable and you can tailor for your family, for your business immediately.

00:13:28 Melissa: So here we go. What is it you're going to learn with a little bit more specificity? So you are going to go through an exercise that other business leaders go through. I'm going to help you reimagine your company vision so that you're energized when you read the mission, think of the mission. And let me tell you right now, it is not the mission that you might have on your company website, nor is it a manifesto of any kind. It is a personal mission. I did the exercise myself. I was crying after I wrote my version of the same method, the same exact framework and exercise you will do live in the masterclass.

00:14:07 Melissa: Here's the second thing. During the masterclass, you're also gonna learn how to be focused on the right relationships to build. You only have 30 days, right? Let's imagine you want to really sprint and you wanna end up at the end of the year with more revenue. This is what you need to be maniacally focused on. Who do you need on your side to help you, to give you access, to really amplify your message? That's what we're going to talk about. How to find that focus.

00:14:40 Melissa: So this way, again, you're getting to your goal or exceeding them without draining your mom energy. This is really big. Third idea, again, Impostor Syndrome. That is something that is so difficult to erase and that is a use of energy. So why not work with our natural ways of being and how we feel? Why not use as an example, if you're an introvert, why not use that to your benefit?

00:15:07 Melissa: There are ways, happy to answer them in the live Q&A during the masterclass. So this idea, Impostor Syndrome, that's the third concept that we're gonna go through during the masterclass. So I'm gonna make it super easy for you. I wanna be sure that I am present and available for you on two days. So you're gonna have some options. Go to melissallarena.com/masterclass. You're going to see some options for every single one for us to participate, be together in a virtual room, live, okay?

00:15:42 Melissa: So I will be live. I will be running this master class on September 23rd, two time slots and also September 24th, two time slots. Please go to melissallarena.com/masterclass.

00:15:56 Melissa: And here's what is also important. When you sign up, I'm gonna give you a gift. We're gonna talk about gift giving. It's going to be holiday season right now in September. So sign up melissallarena.com/masterclass You're going to get a downloadable workbook. This workbook is going to help you instantly. If you actually open it up and do the same exercise that I referenced early that made me cry and gave me energy to keep going.

00:16:17 Melissa: You're gonna be able to do it immediately once you sign up because you're gonna get the workbook. So you're gonna get the workbook, whether you could attend live or not. You're gonna get it immediately when you sign up and you can get started in that exercise. I made it very self-explanatory. However, however, there are so many other steps to my process. There are so many other things that we're going to talk about during the live masterclass, and there is no, no swap for attending a master class live because you get to ask your questions.

00:17:00 Melissa: Okay, here's something else. I want to make this so no-brainer for you. Not only, immediately when you sign up do you get this workbook where you'll be able to do your own exercise on your company vision, which is one of the core things that can energize you to get you going and keep you going. But then on top of that, as a bonus for showing up live and you're welcome to invite a friend, a mom founder as well, so they can participate too. But for being there live, you are also going to get a 30-day profitable networking action plan and tracker. And we're going to be able, or you will be able, to connect your vision to daily tangible actions, which is so amazing, because sometimes we get really lost in the weeds if we're just doing, doing, doing, doing, doing, doing, doing, but we don't have a reminder of why every single day.

00:18:00 Melissa: And in this 30-day planner that you get for showing up live to the master class on the date that you sign up for, you are going to be able to have a very easy, easy, easy visual so that you can track exactly what you're doing and how you can continue to improve over the course of 30 days as you build those profitable...relationships. It is sensational. I cannot wait to get it in your hands and you just have to show up live to the masterclass in order to get it.

00:18:30 Melissa: On top of that, I told you it's like holiday season for moms in September, right? On top of that, for showing up live to this masterclass, you will also be put in a drawing to be a guest on this very podcast. This is huge because here's what happens if you are on the same platform as someone who is famous for example as many people who have been on this podcast are for example Zibby Owens, you have Gary Vaynerchuk, James Altucher, Suzy Batiz, Beth Comstock, if you're on the same platform as these individuals imagine what that's gonna do for you. It's almost kind of like osmosis in the sense that people are going to presume that you're more credible than maybe you, yourself had originally thought you were. People are going to assume your prices must be higher then, you know, someone who is not associated in any way with one of these famous individuals.

00:19:31 Melissa: So please, please do your very best. I know you're a mom. I know you're busy. I know things change last minute. Speaking of every single mom who's listening to this, and I know this myself as a mom with three children, this is a really huge opportunity. This is a once in a lifetime. You do not wanna miss out on this master class. It is on September 23rd. You will see other dates there in the actual URL, melissallarena.com/masterclass And the focus is about, you know, having you get to the end of the year, feeling like you put it all on the table and you got it done and you did not have to drag yourself to the finish line. It's all about getting to the finish line and being able to like grab your award or your medal with energy and enthusiasm and being able to have fun and enjoy it and be in bliss with your family.

00:20:24 Melissa: I think that is what for me is a new definition of success. It's not just, you know, a goal quote unquote, like, okay, you know, like get this many, you know, this much in revenue or this many downloads. It's not that, it's not juicy enough. It doesn't have the pull that I need as a mom who's busy and has a lot of things going on. And I'm sure it's the same for you. And that's why I want you to attend this masterclass. So before we end, I wanna just read again the name of the masterclass. I actually put out a vote to mom founders. And this was the title that you guys came up with because this is what is going to help you get to the end of this year's finish line.

00:21:04 Melissa: The masterclass again is called How to Craft a Focus Year-End Networking Strategy to Build Profitable Relationships in 30 Days without Draining Your Mom Energy. Go to the link,melissallarena.com/masterclass Sign up immediately, invite a friend, it is free. It will be live and there are perks for attending live. You, yourself might be next on this podcast.

00:21:31 Melissa: You're gonna be entered into a drawing for attending live. You're gonna get the 30 day planner and tracker for attending live. You're also gonna get to ask me anything related to profitable networking or being a present mom, anything that's on your mind. That's gonna be the key to your success so that the end of the year, you feel sensational because you deserve it. You work freaking hard and I want you to get the results and I want you to feel like you've got everything back and more in terms of all the effort you're putting out for everyone else. It's your turn.

00:22:03 Melissa: Alrighty, so I even wrote this down because I was like, you know what, I cannot forget to say this. So if you enjoyed today's episode, they drop every single Tuesday. If you're watching this on YouTube, be sure to hit that bell to subscribe so that you have instant access to these conversations from mom founders who need to use their imagination to get to where they're going. Also, if you're listening to this on audio, let's make it official. Let's just change our relationship status from listening to like officially following. So click follow if you're on iTunes or Spotify, please go ahead and do that wonderful deed.

00:22:47 Melissa: And here's the thing, thank you. Okay, from the bottom of my heart, from the essence of who I am, I wanna thank you for listening. I wanna thank you for being here. I wanna thank you for opening up your business. You're doing a service to the world. And I know it's gonna be a better place because of it.

00:23:05 Melissa: And I also wanna say thank you because the listeners, you guys, you guys are giving me the energy and enthusiasm I need to like put my makeup on for YouTube to have the guts to invite these podcast guests on this podcast for anyone on audio, and just, you know, to get to another place in my mind to change my gear to on and fully out there. And it takes a lot and you're giving me a lot. So I appreciate you and I wanna see you. I wanna meet every single one of you and invite your friends. Again, attending live has its perks. Go to melissallarena.com/masterclass Thank you and until next Tuesday.