879: More Clients, Same White-Glove Service: Scaling High-End Offers Without Sacrificing Quality

0:00Imagine this. It's 30 days from now and your podcast is live. Your voice is out in the world and you're building an audience that chooses to tune in every week. That's not just possible. It's waiting for you inside of the podcast lab and enrollment is officially open at teachmetopodcast.com. This is my step-by-step program that walks you through how to plan, produce, publish, promote, and profit from your show, even if you're starting from scratch. Whether you've got a big brand, a small business, or just a powerful story to tell, your podcast could become the most impactful part of your week and your most scalable content channel yet.

0:39So if you've been waiting for a sign, this is it. Go to teachmetopodcast.com to enroll in the podcast lab today. You can get started for as little as$39 today. Let's make your podcast dream real at teachmetopodcast.com. That's teachmetopodcast.com.

1:02Introducing your new Dell PC powered by the Intel Core Ultra Processor. It helps you handle a lot, even when your holiday to-do list gets to be a lot. Because it's built with an all-day battery, plus powerful AI features that help you do it all with ease, from editing images, to drafting emails, to summarizing large documents, to multitasking. So you can organize your holiday shopping and make custom holiday decor and search for great holiday deals and respond to holiday requests and customer questions and customers requesting custom things and plan the perfect holiday dinner for vegans, vegetarians, pescatarians, and Uncle Mike's carnivore diet.

1:39Luckily, you can get a PC that helps you do it all faster so you can get it all done. That's the power of a Dell PC with Intel Inside, backed by Dell's price match guarantee. Get yours today at dell.com slash deals. Terms and conditions apply. See dell.com for details.

2:01One of the hardest parts about that one-to-one business is the feeling of like you always need to be out there to get new clients versus having like a super high retention. And so sometimes those group programs can just feed right into the bigger one, which allows you to just have a little bit more security as well as you go throughout the year. I'm Jenna Kutcher, your host of the Gold Digger podcast. I escaped the corporate world at the age of 23 with nothing more than a$300 camera from Craigslist and a dream. Now I'm running a seven figure online business that feels even better than it looks all from my house in small town, Minnesota with my family.

2:41Here we value time as our currency. We mix the woo and the work, and we are in the pursuit of building businesses that give us the freedom to live lives that we love. I've always loved turning big goals into reality, and I'm here to help you do the same. This isn't just a peek behind the curtain. Come along with me and my guests as we tear the whole curtain down. Every week we tackle practical, no-fluff marketing strategies and host honest discussions on what works and what doesn't. Join me and my expert guests for actionable insights to help you grow your dream business with confidence. Pull up a seat and get ready to be challenged, inspired, and empowered.

3:20This is the Gold Digger Podcast. Did you know that there are luxury brands out there? Maybe you're wondering, well, what does it take to scale a luxury brand? And how do I not lose the exclusivity and the personalization that could make it special? If you've ever wondered or pondered about growing a high-end business while maintaining its premium feel, well, this is the episode for you. Today, I'm sitting down with one of our Gold Digger podcast listeners, Elizabeth Salaru, founder of Luxury Business Emporium and author of The Luxpreneur. Elizabeth's journey is nothing short of extraordinary. She went from being a scientist to a headhunter to an award-winning luxury cake artist serving royalty.

4:04Now she's a sought-after business strategist helping entrepreneurs build high-ticket brands that exude excellence. But here's the challenge. Scaling a luxury business comes with a unique set of hurdles. Elizabeth has successfully built a high-ticket coaching brand, but as demand grows, she's facing the question so many entrepreneurs struggle with. How do you expand without diluting the experience that makes your brand stand out? In today's coaching session, we're tackling everything from creating systems that maintain a premium feel to optimizing profitability to making sure multiple revenue streams work together seamlessly.

4:40So if you're building a brand that values quality over quantity and wondering how to scale without compromise, grab your notebook. This is an episode for you. Elizabeth, welcome to the Gold Digger podcast. I love every episode of the podcast, but I feel like coaching episodes have my heart because I get to connect with amazing people like Elizabeth who are a part of the Gold Digger community. So Elizabeth, welcome to the Gold Digger podcast. Thank you so much for having me on your show, Jenna. You don't know how excited I am to be here today. Thank you. I want to know, so paint the scene for us a little bit as to where you are in your journey, what your business is, who you serve, and then we'll dive on into some of the questions that you have today.

5:27Okay. So a quick background, I used to be a scientist, then became a headhunter. Then I started my own luxury business, making cakes for extremely high-end people. And then COVID hit. And that made me pivot into something that a lot of people usually come to me for, which was coaching. So a lot of people would ask me, how do I find high-end clients? How can I get rich people to buy from me? And I was given lots of talks about that on many platforms, but I never monetized. So around COVID, we all joined Clubhouse. I joined Clubhouse. I then realized that I had a lot to say on the subject and that sparked an interest in luxury brand consulting.

6:17So that's what I've been doing for the last few years. I help people get clients who are ultra high net worth to buy from them. And then last year, I put all my knowledge in a book called The Lux Printer. And that seems to be doing really, really well. One thing I realized was that there wasn't a book on luxury brands or luxury businesses that were written from a founder perspective. They were all written from a luxury expert professor perspective. And as a founder with no money, but you have to get that client, that's a different perspective altogether. So I've written The Lut Spinner. It seems to be doing well.

7:07It's really resonating with people. So based on the book, I've started my other coaching business. And at the moment I'm doing one-to-one coaching, but not everyone can afford me for one-to-one coaching. So that's why in a way being on this podcast is really timely for me. So that's about me in a nutshell. Oh, that was a beautiful explanation. And oh my gosh, when you said the words clubhouse, I, I was thinking about that the other day. I couldn't even remember the name of it, but I was like, what a time to be alive when all these people would gather in rooms and you would be in these spaces with some of the greatest entrepreneurs and leaders in the world, and they were just riffing and sharing.

7:52It was a really beautiful space. So I love that you had that experience. So you prepared a few questions. Let's kick off with your first question. And I always tell all of my coaching people, as well as my listeners, take what serves you and leave the rest behind. And it is okay to tell me no. So let's dive on in and we'll see where we end up. So my first question is I've built a solid luxury brand and I've published my book, The Luxpreneur, but I'm struggling to scale beyond my personal capacity. So how can I create systems that maintain the premium experience, but it allows me to reach more people?

8:33Yes. Okay. So first, this is such a common challenge. And I think any entrepreneur that is in any sort of one-to-one or more service-based business, I think you really quickly start to see where you're capped, not only with your capacity, but also with your income, right? I experienced this as a wedding photographer. I remember the first year I hit six figures, I had shot 30 weddings. I was so exhausted, right? I was like, I can't keep like, this is not sustainable. And also this might not be my definition of success. And so one thing that's really even more delicate about the space you're in, which is luxury, is luxury is all about scarcity.

9:16It's about personal touch and it's about this like white glove treatment. So not only are you capped in terms of like the energetic spend that you have with clients, but you're also capped with some interesting other indicators that other entrepreneurs might not really notice. So one thing I want to ask you is I'm going to turn this back to you is just what are the feelings that you want every client to have no matter what tier of level that they're working with you, whether they're buying your book for, you know, 20, 30 bucks, or they're working with you one-on-one, what is that feeling that you want them to have?

9:52Oh, that's a fantastic question. I want them to feel heard. I want them to feel understood and listened to because I've been in their shoes before. I also want them to feel that whatever it is they're trying to do in getting into the luxury market, that it's definitely possible. I want them to feel like if I can do it, they can do it too. So those are some of the feelings I want them to feel. Okay. I love that because one thing I think can often happen and even just knowing that's the lens you're looking through is a lot of times what we focus on is like building systems around processes, right?

10:34So So we're just kind of looking at like point A, B, C, D. We need to create a system. But I think especially in the luxury market, but I would actually argue in any business, you can also create systems around feelings. So almost like these touch points, no matter what level someone's working with you at, that allows them the opportunity to feel seen, to feel witnessed, to feel heard, to feel the possibility. So some of the things that I was thinking about, because I actually did homework on this to prepare for our call was considering designing almost a signature welcome experience that can be systemized, but it doesn't eliminate that feeling of like being bespoke, right?

11:17Like what is that welcome experience? And again, when I look at your business, we have a few different tiers and maybe even after this call that expands or shrinks, however we look at it, but like, what is that welcome experience? So maybe for a book reader, if you're able to gather their information, you can create a welcome experience that's simply through an email funnel, right? That still allows them to feel those feelings on a lower level because there's a lower level of investment. And then with the, you know, high tier clients, we create a welcome experience that is that more white glove experience, but it is systemized and still helps kind of get those feelings out.

11:56The other thing I was thinking about. And this would kind of depend on where you personally want to go and what your energy looks like. But I think you could really benefit from a very small, so I'm not saying big, a small, highly trained like concierge team to support you in the luxury touch point. And one thing that I found is a really big barrier. And I had this personally as a wedding photographer is that you start to believe the belief that people only want us. And it's a beautiful belief, right? But I think that if we unpack it, it also can stem from our ego. And when we work above our capacity, we're likely not giving the experience we want to in this place, right?

12:41And so I remember one of my best friends, she's one of my copywriters. She's incredible. And I remember when she was like going through motherhood and she's like, I need to be the one that writes every single word for my clients. They only want me. And I was like, guess what? If somebody on your team wrote those words and I knew that they followed your system and you did the final sign off on them, I am a okay. I just want that level of service. And so that would be the second idea. The last thing that I think would be really beneficial. And this also goes for our listener today is really taking a look at identifying what parts of your work are uniquely you and what parts could be elegantly delegated.

13:23And I love the word elegantly. I feel like it hits the locks area that we're talking about. But I also think, you know, even the other day I talked to my mom and she's the main caregiver for my grandparents. And she sat down and made a list of like, here are all the things I'm doing for them. But there are only a few places that only I can do these things. And I think as women, we take on so much that we're missing opportunities to really serve at the level that only we can in the spaces that we desire to. And so those were the three things. One question I have for you, cause I have a follow-up on this is when you think about like the luxury brands that you personally love, whether it be fashion or travel or hospitality, what are the specific touches that make you feel like you're in luxury hands?

14:13Like what is that for you? Oh, that's a great one. I think for me, so I'm thinking of hospitality now. I think I'm thinking of the kind of welcome I get in a hotel because I do love afternoon tea. So I tend to go to nice hotels for afternoon tea and it's more the welcome. It's more the whoever's been assigned to your table, regardless of personality or quirk, because different waiters have different personalities. But I think for me, it's the feeling that they really want to be there to help you, to serve you and make sure that you have an enjoyable experience. So that for me is the one thing that I can take that makes me feel served or seen properly.

14:59Yeah. This podcast is brought to you by Mercury, banking that helps entrepreneurs do more with their money. Okay, I remember in the early days of my entrepreneurship journey, clients would literally mail me checks and then I would have to drive all the way to the bank to deposit them. It took me literal years to make things go digital. And I am ashamed to admit I still have a filing cabinet with paper contracts because I'm way too afraid to throw them away. But that's the beauty of growth, right? You learn what systems serve you and which ones hold you back. Mercury is one of those systems that just works.

15:35Where traditional banking websites and apps are clunky and hard to use, Mercury is meticulously designed to make doing just about anything with your money feel effortless. And the best part is it flexes to fit all types of businesses. Ready to see what powerful banking can do for your business? Visit mercury.com to apply in minutes. Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. For important details, check the show notes. 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.

16:15It 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 U.S. 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. Their AI tools help with product images, descriptions, discount codes, and more. Shopify also makes it simple to run email and social campaigns so people can find you. And if you ever feel stuck, their award-winning 24-7 support is always available. Turn those dreams into...

16:53And give them the best shot at success with Shopify. Sign up for your$1 per month trial and start selling today at shopify.com slash gold digger. Go to shopify.com slash gold digger. shopify.com slash gold digger. I love that. And I love that response. Cause I think we've hopefully experienced something like that, where you feel like they're excited to be with you and in your presence and they're paying attention. And I do think that based on some of your offers, other people could take on that role in that position for you. If done well, it's kind of like you said, like at afternoon tea, it doesn't necessarily matter who your server is.

17:35If they're all giving that same level of experience and feeling, you don't really care, right? So that might be something that we can think about as we go to the next question. Okay. So my next question is, yes, I've noticed that my revenue is increasing, but profit margins aren't keeping pace. So what strategies would you recommend for maintaining the same luxury positioning while improving profitability? Okay. So I love this question because I think people often assume that luxury equals high profits automatically, right? Like, isn't that funny? But I think that's a misconception out there, right?

18:22It's actually the opposite sometimes. Yes. And that's why it can be so incredibly expensive to maintain that level and that experience if you aren't careful. So one of the things that I was thinking about is kind of almost auditing. So as I was thinking about this question is almost like an audit. And so things that I would love to look at is where are you potentially over delivering in ways that clients don't actually value? And I see this often in our own businesses, even in digital businesses where we're like, hey, there's this free bonus or like this surprise and delight that actually might add overwhelm to somebody.

19:05Or we're adding in these like valued at X, Y, or Z dollars, but the client doesn't value that at the same expense. And so one thing I'd be curious about is, Elizabeth, have you ever been able to pull your past clients on, you know, like what were their favorite parts? What, you know, like just kind of to get that insight, because I'm just curious if there are places that you're over delivering based on your own preferences that could maybe be cut back or that people aren't expecting and wouldn't know that they were missing out on. that I think is a great question because I think what I need to do is get detailed feedback yeah so rather than oh my god Elizabeth that was amazing I had an amazing session I had a fantastic session yeah I think I need to kind of reverse audit because yes they may have had an amazing session but what have they actually gone to implement so what have they so out of everything I've said or out of everything, you know, everything we've said in the session, what have they actually done?

20:14And I think we could link, I love that because it's making me think, I think we could link the effectiveness to that. So there's no point in delivering all the extras if what's making them very effective is one or two particular things. So that's one thing I definitely will be going back to do. So I need to audit my own delivery, my own self. I love that so much for a bunch of different reasons, because I think oftentimes, especially too, I know like when I was a wedding photographer, as my prices got higher, because the demand was higher, then I felt like I had to throw in everything in the kitchen sink.

20:55It's just a tendency. And honestly, I think that simple sells better and complexity adds confusion. And a lot of times when we think we're over delivering, we're actually overwhelming. And so what might also be interesting is either at the beginning of a session, if it's like a returning client is asking them to brag about themselves. So my therapist actually does this where she's like, share three brags with me of like things that you have implemented. and it gives her insight into like, where am I actually taking action? And what stood out to me about our past session long enough past the hour that we spoke to remember.

21:35And then maybe at the end too, you could ask them like, what are two actions you're going to take based on this conversation? Because what they're finding valuable might be different than what you were perceiving as value. And it doesn't mean that anything's wrong. It just might help you go deeper on those pieces and just simplify. Another thing that I'm curious about, or that would be worth auditing, is a lot of times there are hidden costs within our processes that we don't necessarily see. It's almost like this kind of hidden underneath the surface of like, if we're taking face value of what someone's paying and what we're making, it often doesn't necessarily equal the same because there's so much cost to doing business.

22:16And so there might be hidden costs within your process that you could eliminate that doesn't affect the client experience. And so one thing Drew and I, my husband and I laugh at all the time is like, we'll partner with companies and they'll send us like a box of their swag, like their t-shirts, their mugs, their hats. And it's like, the last thing I need is more swag. Like I don't, yes, I don't want any more coffee mugs. I just brought a bunch to our local soup kitchen and it was funny, like looking at all these different mugs. And so while the company thinks they're adding value, what they're really doing is adding clutter to my life.

22:55And it's by no fault. I think some people absolutely love that stuff. I'm just not one of those people. And so it just might be a place to where you're like, oh, people might not value this or do they even want it? And could I maybe skip this step? And then the final thing that I was thinking about for you is because the one-to-one is impossible to scale without scaling your capacity. I was thinking about like, if this were me, if I were Elizabeth, would there be an opportunity to create a higher margin digital offer that can complement your luxury one-on-one so that you're serving with different levels without adding a ton of work?

23:34And so it almost be the lower tier. And what I would personally do is use those group sessions to be a great facilitator to pay attention to what your ideal client is thinking but then once they complete the group session the people that are the best fit can graduate to the one-on-one to stay on and work with you so it could also be almost a pre-qualifier to the right level of clients that can also maybe afford your investment because the way that i see your business being sustainable, and this could be wrong, but this is based on my own experience, is as the years go on, being able to take on less clients but charge you is ultimately the goal.

24:15Is that in alignment kind of? Oh, absolutely. Absolutely. I mean, you've hit the nail on the head. And I think that's a very good thing looking at that sort of not quite mid tier, but at least looking at it as another high level funnel for the one-to-one. I think that works really, really well. I think that could work. It's a great pre-qualifier too because certain people aren't necessarily ready to invest at a super high level or they want to make sure that that investment is the right one, which makes sense, right? And so I think too, that's a lower risk, lower emotionally spent opportunity.

24:57One of my best friends last year, she had launched two different offers. One was a bigger mastermind, which was a higher ticket. They had more in-person events, more one-on-one touch points. And then she did a lower tier version of that where it was less in-person events, less high touch, you know, less one-on-one coaching opportunities. Both were incredibly successful. And now she's seeing people almost graduating from that middle tier up into the next one. And so it also gives you continuity. And I think one of the hardest parts about that one-to-one business is the feeling of like, you always need to be out there to get new clients versus having like a super high retention.

25:40And so sometimes those group programs can just feed right into the bigger one, which allows you to just have a little bit more security as well as you go throughout the year. Cause I know it can easily ebb and flow based on how many clients you have and if people renew or stay on. Okay. So my question would be for you to ponder afterwards is just when you look at your offers, is there one that you feel like you're working the hardest on for the least amount of a return? Because that's usually the one you want to start optimizing is like from an energetic, a time standpoint, like, is there certain one offer where you're like, I am pushing this so hard, but like when I look at what I'm actually earning, it's not worth it.

26:22And that's where I would start optimizing just to focus on like efficiencies and things like that. I love that. Thank you. That's very, very useful. And I can easily think of one offer right now. I've literally, it's on the website, but I've pulled it really because yeah. So yeah, I love that. Thank you so much. Well, you're already doing that then. All right, let's go to the next question. Okay. So the next question is, I'm juggling multiple revenue streams. So I've got the speaking, the book, consulting podcast, but I don't know if I'm diluting my impact. So how can I create more synergy between these offerings while staying true to my core expertise?

27:11Okay. So my first question is, do you like doing all of the things? I do that's good no no no I do I actually I love the fact that you know for example the podcast that is so natural to me because you know I had a great time like you said on clubhouse yeah I love the consulting because again I get to meet different people etc etc and then I love to write in the book because for me that was yes I don't know it's just something I just felt I had to get out. And with the book, once it's done, it's done. But I find that the book is a very good introduction to the other things that I do for some people.