February 20, 2020
The Business & Vacation Strategist: Meet Louiza Megan, Founder of The School of Audacity
How many times have you been on vacation and spent more time answering work emails than actually disconnecting? I’ve been there. I’d often need a vacation from a vacation because I needed time to regroup from my half “on vacation” mode and half “still working” mentality. I was burned out.
It wasn’t until I worked with Louiza Megan that I learned how to put boundaries in place – especially on vacation. I placed this new philosophy into my own life. Vacations are truly necessary and helpful in restoring the energy and excitement I need in my business. Your business can still survive if you don’t work 100% of your time! Read on to learn how Louiza learned to put boundaries in place and change her life, along with many others.
SDS: Louiza, you’re the queen of boundaries. Along with that, you believe in having upfront conversations about boundaries from the get-go. How did you get so practiced at having tough conversations and how do you help your clients?
LOUIZA MEGAN: Growing up, I was told “no” all of the time by my parents. My dad was foreign and my mom was tired from long work hours. When I asked if I could get a ride to the mall, have a sleepover, etc., I was often denied and got very comfortable with hearing “no”. Secondly, I spent a lot of time traveling solo around Europe when I was 20. I became truly connected with myself, tuning into what felt right and what didn’t feel right. I learned how to trust my instincts and honor my own happiness.
In the beginning of my business, requesting a change to a client’s schedule in order to take a vacation or have a needed break, was met with a lot of pushback, frustration and anger. It was annoying and uncomfortable to ask for those changes; my dread would lead me to take calls in order to avoid the tough conversations. I finally reached a point of being burnt out and decided to make myself a priority.
I’ve found that people react differently in situations when they know what to expect. So if I can set up their expectations based off of a clear understanding of what I will deliver, then the client can remain happy and I am able to have exactly what I want. I know what makes me happy and when I am sacrificing myself in order to avoid discomfort. That’s what motivated me to set clear boundaries and expectations from the very beginning.
Now I help other female business owners find the same freedom and peace. First, by defining what makes them happy so that they can live the life they envision and make the money they want. Then I support them in crafting those conversations with the right tone and timing. Knowing what to say, how to say it and when to say it can lead to meeting their own needs guilt free while ensuring their relationships are set up from the beginning.
SDS: Most corporate jobs offer two weeks paid vacation, yet you believe that entrepreneurs should take eight weeks of vacation (not including weekends) a year. Why do you believe so strongly in vacation and do you have any tips on how to plan to take that time off?
LM: I am very passionate about taking vacation because we all started our own businesses to have freedom and time (which we deserve), yet we end up working way more hours than our previous 9-to-5 jobs. Being a business owner is a hard, draining and exhausting journey. Our brains are always dialed into survival mode, thinking about work 24-7. The only way to break that mindset is to take an extended time off.
That means not working at all! Zero work is no client communication, checking work emails or planning. A vacation is the best way to do this. Some tips I suggest to take that needed time off is:
1. Choose to take off all federal holidays throughout the year.
2. Record these holidays in your calendar so that they are clearly blocked off.
3. Communicate these dates in advance with your clients (especially with your new clients) so that it is crystal clear when you will not be working.
SDS: In your coaching program, The School of Audacity, you talk about delegating to an assistant. How do you vet and find your assistants? What qualities are a “must” for an assistant?
LM: All of my assistants have been through referrals and I reach out to my network and Facebook for recommendations. I want someone who I can trust, count on and enjoy working with. I am also looking for an assistant whose skills align with the work I need done and who is a match on both a personal level and in a collaborative way. For example, I want an assistant who will take a delegated task and run with it independently rather than need step-by-step instructions from me.
My advice when seeking an assistant is to first get clear about the work that the assistant would be supporting you with. Define the skill set and strengths that are needed. Finally, think about the personality and work style which would create an easy flowing relationship. Create questions based off of those areas that you can use during interviews. Talking to people that they’ve worked with in the past is another important component in the consideration process. I would avoid hiring anyone who is a friend or acquaintance because you can’t be your full self as a leader in that relationship.
SDS: Let’s talk about email and your phone. What are your techniques for managing your email (#inbox0) and checking email on your phone?
LM: First of all, I do not have email on my phone. It’s a no-brainer for me. Being in business for 7 years, I’ve never had email on my phone. If I’m on my phone, I’m enjoying my personal life and do not want to be inundated with work. I only check my email once or twice a day. One of the things I do to support this is structure my business so that my assistant is in charge of most communication and clients are not depending on me for email support.
I also have strong boundaries of only working during my work hours. Another technique for not being overwhelmed by email and keeping an #inbox0 is to disable any notifications, refrain from newsletters and other subscriptions, as well as utilize a “secret” email address that is only shared with close friends, family and essential services.
SDS: Lastly, as someone who is generally reluctant to join group coaching programs what are the benefits of your group offering?
LM: The School of Audacity is a unique combination of training, consulting, education and coaching. We have a community of female entrepreneurs who benefit from inspiring group calls as well as personalized private coaching over the four month course. Our curriculum guides them in crossing the six-figure income mark while taking eight weeks of vacation and learning to set work-life boundaries. There is also a bonus program that develops client confidence and many additional growth techniques and tools for elevated success.
If you are interested in learning more about The School of Audacity, join us for a free online workshop.
