823: How to Reinvent Yourself Without Starting Over with Sharon McMahon

26:53I really would love to be able to just say thank you or pay her back for the work that she's been putting into her account. I would love to sign up for that. So that was when I realized that I actually could make a living teaching workshops on the internet. That's weird. It wasn't something that had occurred to me at the time, but that slowly grew into a very popular book club that I run, and I have a private Instagram account, and I still teach Zoom workshops inside that Instagram account. That became sort of the foundation of the business that I currently run that has many different branches and arms and whatnot.

27:30But it was a few months in when I started offering during Zoom workshops. I've seen other small businesses do this too, who have really great content on the internet. I'm thinking about a flower farm that I follow where they grow all of these beautiful dahlias and things like this. And then they offer periodically Zoom workshops on how to grow dahlias and a small amount of space. And this person in particular has a farm where she sells them to wedding planners and things like that. How she grows all these flowers in like one acre of space. And I have actually signed up for those workshops. Any intention of becoming a commercial flower farmer?

28:09No. I just love flowers. I just want to know. How do you do that? And I think she charged like$25 for her workshop and I happily paid it. And then I attended the Zoom workshop live and I think there were about 200 people in there. And I don't know how many people signed up to get the replay, but it was very smart way to do it though, because not only are the stakes like low, right? Like, especially if you think of like$5,$10,$20, like most people spend that without really blinking. But two, you get to also see, and I'm sure you picked this up early. You get to see what people are actually willing to pay for because everyone's willing to consume for free or say, of course I would buy that when it comes out, but not a lot of people are willing to like put their credit card down.

28:54And so even just in seeing like, oh, wow, this one was wildly popular. Let's go deeper on it. There's so much to be had. And so I love that. And I genuinely, I don't know if you agree, but like, I believe every single person on this planet could host a Zoom workshop on something that comes so easy to them. Yes. That's fascinating to other people are life changing. And it could be as simple as like organizing your spice drawer. Like it doesn't have to be earth shattering. So I love this. I love this so much. Yes. And it also allows you because offering a little workshop is so like the barrier to entry is so low.

29:31You don't have to pay for the super expensive Zoom until you need it, right? Like you can pay for the$20 Zoom until you need the next tier. Zoom, everyone knows how to use it now. You're literally collecting people's email addresses. You're sending that, you know, setting up a very simple shopping cart. This is stuff that you literally drag and drop now. Doesn't cost much money. You don't need technical skills. And then you're sending them an email with a link to your Zoom. And then afterwards, a follow-up email with a replay link. And here's the PDF of what I talked about. I love other people's jobs.

30:10This is something that I am endlessly fascinated by. How does one get to be a marine biologist? How do you get to be the city planner? Yeah, what do you even do as the head gardener? What does that even mean? These are things that are just like very interesting to me. And I have no intention of pursuing any of those things professionally, but I still love to learn about it. And I still want to support that person. Yes, I saw this funny reel where it was like, here is your reminder to like host a night where everyone in your family does a PowerPoint presentation on what they actually do for work.

30:45And I thought that was so funny and genius because I'm like, there are things that like my brother does at his company in Duluth, Minnesota that I have no idea. Like when I explain it, I'm like, I know I'm butchering this. He does really awesome things. And so I'm like, it's so I agree. It's so fascinating. And one thing I am just fascinated by is you have created like a true culture. My friend Russell Brunson will say culture, like culture. Your followers will do anything for you. And it's beautiful. And I just want to know, like for somebody listening who has never really thought of the community aspect, because you've done this as you've pivoted, what are some tips for building such a strong community that will follow you as you pivot?

31:35That's a great question. I love that question. the, the first thing is you have to be yourself. You have to be yourself and you have to let go of this idea that like, I'm not the right kind of self. We have to, we know, we think that it needs to be really carefully curated. It needs to be Kim Kardashian and it needs to be Vogue photo shoots. And, you know, like it needs to, I need to be a kind of self that is, you know, really aspirational and elevated. That's not true. Yes, Kim Kardashian has a following, but Kim Kardashian does not have a community in the same way, say Taylor Swift does. And Taylor Swift's community is built around her legitimate and honest personality, which is evident to her music.

32:22In her music, she's very vulnerable. In her music, she shares her real struggles. In her music, she pokes fun at herself and other people. She has social commentary on things that she thinks are interesting. And of course, Taylor Swift is like the ultimate scale of what it means to build a community. But she noticed the difference between, say, a Taylor Swift community and a community of some other really, really high level artists, like let's say an usher or somebody like that. People who are devoted to, who love ushers music, maybe are not as devoted to him personally because he doesn't have the same community, relatable personality aspects that Taylor Swift does, even though she's a billionaire with a private jet, people feel like they know her, right?

33:08So allowing people to get to know you in whatever aspects you decide you want to share about is an important component of it. Because if they like you when you are talking about photography, they're going to like you when you're talking about small business, or they're going to like you when you are talking about how you spent 12 years as a government teacher. So that is something that's sort of this unique value proposition that you're bringing to the table that nobody else can bring, that nobody else can replicate, is what is your unique viewpoint on this topic? So you have to be yourself and you have to let go of this idea that people will judge you for it because they're going to judge you whether you do it or not.

33:48Whether you play small or you have the audacity to go for it. People are going to judge you and they might as well judge you for having the audacity to be successful. Put on a show, baby girl. Put on a show. Yep. They might as well judge you for having the audacity to try. Yeah. Then judge you for having never done anything with your life that they can see, obviously. But the other thing about, I think that is important to remember about pivoting is that everyone feels like they're building the plane while flying it. Yeah. Yeah. That is the normal way to feel. It does not mean you're doing it wrong.

34:22If it feels like, well, I don't know. I've never done that before. Great. Keep going. That's typical. History smiles kindly on the doers, not the critics. Yeah. Right? Like name one critic that has gone down in history. That's just those people. Those statues for the critics, right? That's right. That's right. The people who actually just have the audacity to try are the people who are remembered for having contributed greatly to something. Okay, wait, this is the perfect segue into your book because this is what the crux of your book is. And so how did that inspire that? Because I feel like your book is like, ah, it's just so, okay, break down your book for people that haven't gotten a chance to grab it yet.

35:10Because this is what I love about this conversation is you live and embody this, but you also see it in other people, which I think is the most powerful thing. Thank you. My new book is called The Small and the Mighty. And it's about unsung Americans who changed the course of history. Some of them changed it through business. Some of them changed it through education. Some of them changed it through being civil rights workers. Some of them changed it from writing something or something really important and impactful. But everybody in this book took what they knew, where they were in time and space, with the resources available to them, and just had the audacity to try something that other people weren't doing.

35:54And it is those people who deserve to be remembered, who made very significant contributions to their country, who made very significant contributions to their community. And this is, I think it's an important lesson for all of us that, you know, this idea that like great Americans are people who lived in the past and they're Martin Luther Kings and they're in the black and white pictures and they're the freedom writers. And those are great Americans, absolutely. But great Americans still live, right? And they live each day going to work at a small business. They live each day teaching in a preschool classroom.

36:27They live each day as a nurse in the ER, the idea that you need some kind of special it factor when it comes to wealth, fame, beauty, familial status, connections, to be somebody important and to make an incredible contribution is, yes, there are examples of that in history, of course, But there are tens of thousands of more of examples of people who were not born into status, were not born into money or fame or wealth, who we can now look back at and be like, dang, I just, I love everything that they, how they just kept putting one foot in front of the other. They just kept building the plane while they were flying it, or in some cases, the train while they were riding it.

37:15These people lived a long time ago, by and large. They just kept doing the next needed thing. And I think we get so bogged down in our own analysis paralysis. We get so bogged down in the enormity of our own problems, of the world's problems, that we look around and we see everything that needs to be changed. The world hunger and the children without parents and the fentanyl crisis and international conflicts. And we see the enormity of all of the world's problems, and we feel like nothing I can do will fix all of those things. And so we just feel sort of paralyzed to even have an impact. But one of the things that I learned while researching this book, and I've learned this personally as well, is that it is okay.

38:02In fact, it is even a good idea for you to make an impact in your one sphere of influence. The weight of the world is actually not on your shoulders. Nobody is saying, guess what? Jenna hasn't solved the AIDS crisis in sub-Saharan Africa, so she's done nothing with her life. That's not how that works. Nobody is saying, Sharon has not fixed the trade deficit with China, so consequently, she's done nothing with her life. Some things are your job. Some things are your skills in gifting, and some things are for other people to do. And that is not just okay. That is actually how it is supposed to work.

38:42That's how it's supposed to work. Jenna and I have larger platforms than maybe somebody who's listening to this does. And that's actually how that's supposed to work. There are actual, you know, there's a lot of unique pressures and problems that come with having a large platform. There's a lot of great things about it too. But if you are somebody who is like, I have a, my life seems small in comparison to people who have a million followers. My education seems inadequate compared to people who have PhDs. My vision seems too confined compared to the great thinkers of the world. I think it's important that we all remind ourselves that change happens in the world.

39:26Positive change comes about from ordinary people who just kept moving their feet. They stopped moving their mouths and they started moving their hands and feet in a direction that maybe they pivoted from that direction down the road, but they did not just stand still and they were not consumed by the enormity of the world's problems. They just kept doing the next needed thing. And so I hope that somebody who reads this book or listens to this podcast feels encouraged that that actually is what you're supposed to do. That's how it's supposed to work. All of us are supposed to contribute, not just five of us, not just people with a million followers, not just the president, a single person or five people or 25 people.

40:15Those are people who are easy to discredit. It's easy to be like, I hate that politician. They're the worst. And even if they're doing incredible things, it's easy to look at them and be like, I hate them. People didn't like Martin Luther King when he was alive. Yes. Right. And so it's easy to discredit a single individual, but we cannot hold back the work of multitudes. And so I want to give you permission, whoever's listening to this, I want to give you permission to know that who you are, where you are with the resources available to you is where you are supposed to make an impact in business or in life.

40:50And that is your unique gifting. And it's not that you can lean into it, it's that you should. when we were young we dreamed of castles and fairy tales and as we grow up those dreams might shift into building something real like starting a business you need a website payment systems a logo and a way to reach customers it can all be overwhelming and confusing but thankfully that's where today's sponsor shopify comes in shopify powers millions of businesses around the world and 10 % of all US e-commerce, from big brands to folks just getting started. They offer beautiful, ready-to-go website templates so you don't need design skills to look professional.

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42:06Anyone who knows me knows that I'm all about creating spaces where people actually want to be. So when we started hosting on Airbnb, it honestly felt like the most natural thing in the world. And it's turned into one of the best decisions we've ever made. Over the years, we've hosted hundreds of couples in our little spaces. We've had so many repeat guests come back and we've created this incredible community, not just with our guests, but also with the people who help us care for our space. Whether you've bought properties as an investment or have unused rooms waiting to be shared, hosting on Airbnb is a practical and profitable choice.

42:40And just think about it. If you've put a ton of time, effort and work into your home, someone out there probably would love to experience it while they're traveling. So next time you're planning a trip or want to make some extra income from your spaces, you should definitely host on Airbnb. Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at Airbnb.com slash host. It reminds me when you say all this, because it's so powerful. And I think a lot of times people tell themselves like, once I have the following, I will say these important things, or if I were you and I had the following, here's what I'd be talking about.

43:17And my encouragement is I would start talking about it now. That's how you build the following, right? And so it's interesting because it's like a lot of people won't even hold the mic up and say the things they want to say and build from the ground up. And it's like, think today of like, oh, if only Taylor Swift would talk about X, or if only Beyonce would talk about this thing that matters to you, hold the microphone up to your own voice today and start sharing because the people will come. And I think you are the perfect example of this, of just sharing. And oh my gosh, The people have come in droves.

43:58One thing I want to hit with you, because I just think that this is so powerful, is the way that you've tied mission into your work and the sane work that your community has come together to do to help alleviate debts for people. Can we just talk about that really quick? Because I know it's a complex thing, but a lot of people listening to this are very mission driven and often have a hard time connecting what they're doing to the things that truly matter the most. And you've done this in a really beautiful way. Thank you. Yeah, the governors, which are what you know, what people in my community call themselves, we have raised over$10.2 million to give away for a variety of causes ranging from medical debt forgiveness to disaster relief to teacher grants, and all sorts of causes in between.

44:51But one of the things that has helped me build community is in addition to just being, sharing authentically what I know about being myself, it has also been giving other people the opportunity to be their best selves. People like to feel like they are making a difference. And as much as the world seems dark and the internet seems full of chads, as much as that is true, I do think overwhelmingly people inherently want to contribute. They want to make a positive difference in their communities. And often it's difficult to know how to do that. And so this idea that if you just go first, if you just light your candle, and then in turn, you can turn and light the candles of the people near you.

45:41And from there, light can spread. But if all you ever do is talk about the candle, and all you ever do is tell people that they should light theirs, that's not the same thing, right? That doesn't have the same effect as just actually doing something. So I have found that people respond when I talk genuinely and authentically about a cause that is near and dear to my heart. Whether that is, like I said, forgiving medical debt or helping teachers pay for their classroom needs. Whatever cause it is that I'm like, right now we're in the midst of talking about Hurricane Helene and the absolute devastation that has happened in Florida and North Carolina and Georgia and places like that.

46:24And we've raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in a couple of days for these kinds of disaster relief organizations that I partner with. But people tell me overwhelmingly how being given the opportunity to help someone else makes them feel and is an important component of their identity in this sort of governed community, their ability, the opportunity to impact others. that it's not just a fandom, right? That it is a membership into a group who cares about similar things. So I think about when somebody is working to build their own community, I think whatever that is for you, I have my own things that I care about, you have your own things that you care about, and that's good.

47:11That's good. We can't all care about the same things. I think giving people the opportunity to engage more deeply in your community by having an identity, a community identity that is tied to something that is related to your mission, whatever that is. And again, for me, I'm not saying emulate what I'm doing. I'm saying for me, mine is these things. I'm a former teacher. Of course, education is very important to me. And for somebody else, it might be animals. It could be environmental conservation. It could be whatever it is. People will engage more deeply in your community and be left feeling emotionally more satisfied from their interactions with you if they have an opportunity to give back in ways that's different than just being a purely transactional relationship.

47:58Oh, it's so, I mean, you do such a beautiful job and I totally agree. And I think this is that tipping point of just like speaking at people and talking with people is people want to be the smartest person in the room. People want to be asked a question. People want to contribute. And so it's like every opportunity that you offer that gives someone the opportunity to step in. And I think that that is something that a lot of people miss when growing a true community is like giving them the spotlight in a way of like, here is your chance. And like, you don't have to say yes to everything, but when people step into it so willingly and get that joy in it, it's like, it is so contagious.

48:43And I think that is where the real ripple effects are made. So I just I love watching it and I'm so moved by it. And I think it's just such a beautiful way to involve your community. And it is it's crazy what you guys do. It's so freaking cool. Thank you. Yes, they like to say they've made little, you know, custom emojis on Instagram. Governors do not play. That's right. Like if you give us a task, we are going to rise to it. Yes. And that's part of their community identity. They now feel, and this is a legitimate thing too. This is not like, it's not a facade. They legitimately feel like my$5 is helping somebody where they can see the direct effect.

49:31And that emotional satisfaction is an important, giving changes the giver, right? It doesn't just benefit the recipient. Giving changes the giver and being able to provide people with those opportunities and to be a transparent steward of this movement is a very important component of what I do. Okay. My final question for you is what is your favorite chapter of your book? I think one of my most favorites is about a woman named Septima Clark. And she's at the sort of towards the end of the book. She has a set of life circumstances that nobody else would want to trade places with. And I'll let you read the book and figure out what those are, but you will read her life circumstances and be like, well, Sharon was right.

50:17I would not trade places with that. And she becomes a teacher herself and she's falsely accused of things and is arrested and all sorts of terrible things that happened to her. And at the end of her life, somebody asks her, essentially, what have you learned? And one of the things that she says, I just think is so important, something that we would really do well just as a culture, as a community, as a country, I should say, we would do well to sort of take with us and tuck into our pockets during this fractious election cycle, which is that I have learned that I can work with my enemies because they might have a change of heart at any moment.

50:59And I just think what, first of all, this woman has had some enemies. People have actively tried to kill her. Her enemies are not just like, oh, a competitor or like a business who's ripped off my idea or, you know, like her enemies were real. Like they were trying to kill her, right? So the idea that as a country, that we can work with our enemies, whether they're political enemies or whatever those enemies might be, because they might have a change of heart at any moment. It really speaks to this idea that the way that we change people for the good is by remaining in relationship with them. People are influenced by people with whom they have a warm relationship, whether that is a parasocial relationship online or your individual family members, whatever that is, they're changed for the better by a warm relationship.

51:49They are not changed by shame. They are not changed by being denigrated. They're not changed by being made fun of. As much as we would like to think that shaming somebody into behaving a certain way creates lasting change, it does not. In the same way that hitting a person might teach them not to do that thing again, but what it really does is make them afraid of you, right? It doesn't actually change what their impulses are. If we want the world to change for the better, and we all do, we all can think of ways we want the world to change for the better, then we must remain in community with each other.

52:24And if we want to have hope of influencing people for the good, we have to maintain that warm relationship. And listen, if Sept McClurk can do it, so can we. oh sharon where can everybody find out more about you follow along on this crazy journey and get their hands on your book thank you so much all the things are linked on my website which is just sharon mcmahon.com but you can also follow me on instagram at sharon says so i have a daily newsletter called the preamble that's the preamble.com and you can buy my book any old place including our favorite Minnesota company, Target. Target Boutique.

53:02Target Boutique. That's how you have to say it. If you're from Northern Minnesota, you see the sign, you see the bullseye coming up the road and you're like, we have arrived at Target Boutique. That is what you have to say. Did you hear that news story about that young girl who drove her parents' car to a Target? Did you hear this? And she's like eight years old or something like that. Yes. And she somehow got in the car, drove to Target and they found her walking around with a cart full of hundreds of dollars of things. We are all that girl deeply inside. You don't go to Target for the things that you need.

53:36You go to Target to let Target tell you what you need. That's how that works. Thank you so much for coming on the Gold Digger podcast here. And this is amazing. Truly a pleasure. Thanks, Jenna. Sometimes when I wrap up an interview, I just have to pause and reflect because I have literally watched Sharon for the last decade. We shared an industry and we share a hometown and watching as she just continues to pivot and reinvent and change the world every step of the way. It is absolutely so incredibly inspiring to me. And I hope today's conversation was inspiring to you. Go out and grab a copy of Sharon's book, The Small and the Mighty.

54:15It is so powerful and it'll remind you that no one is too small to make an impact. And thank you so much for listening to the Gold Digger podcast. If you're new here, take a minute to subscribe, leave a review and a rating. I would love to hear from you. This show is such an effort that gives me so much life. And I just love that these conversations get to reach your earbuds. And of course, until next time, Gold Diggers, keep on digging your biggest goals and know that you are never too insignificant to make a massive difference. Thanks for pulling up a seat for another episode of the Gold Digger podcast.

54:51I hope today's episode fueled you with inspiration, gave you information that you can turn into action and realigned you with your true north in life and business. If you've enjoyed today's episode, head on over to golddiggerpodcast.com for today's show notes, discount codes for our sponsors, freebies to fuel your results and so much more. And if you haven't yet, make sure you're subscribed so that you never miss a future show. We'll see you next time, Gold Diggers.

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