Andrea Franco of ‘The Intuitive Boss Babe’: Five Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started My Consulting Business

An Interview With Doug Brown

You don’t need to do it all on your own. Having a team and structure can help you stay organized. When I hired my Online Business Manager, I had already scaled my business to six-figures. I knew that in order to get to my next level, I needed to create more time and space for myself. When I hired my OBM, I delegated so many tasks that I didn’t love to do or have the time for. This allowed me to continue delivering for my client, stay in my zone of genius, launch faster, sell my programs more consistently. My advice would be to hire a mentor, team member, or whoever you need to support you that will get you to the next level in your industry.

As a part of my series called “Five Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started My Consulting Business ”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Andrea Franco, an Intuitive Business Mentor & CEO of The Intuitive Boss Babe. She helps women scale their businesses to make consistent five & six figure annual incomes through her organic online strategies, foundational structures, unique mindset techniques, and manifestation practices. Since her launch in early 2020, she’s made over half a million dollars in cash through her online coaching business, and mentors her clients to reach their potential through her 1:1 coaching programs, mastermind workshops, group packages, private Facebook group, and Instagram content. So far, Andrea has transformed over hundreds of private clients and helped thousands of female entrepreneurs up-level their businesses to achieve limitless abundance.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit more about you. Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

My life prepared me to become a coach before I even knew what coaching was. To give some background, I was always the friend or person that people would go to for advice. Whether it be for business, relationships, or self-love, I’d apply my own experiences to support them. I also went through a lot of challenges in my life that shaped me into the person that I am today. I knew so many others must have experienced similar heartaches, obstacles, and passions. I wanted to be the support system and lighthouse that women needed to overcome hardships, heal their traumas, and go after their dreams.

I work with women who truly want to heal, grow, and live in abundance. In summary, my mentorship journey started early, but progressed because I, myself, chose to go “all in!”

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began at your company?

The craziest thing that has happened to me, and continues to happen, is watching my clients completely transform and come into full alignment with their next-level self. The quantum leaps from an old reality of hurt, shame, and disconnection to a new reality of abundance, love, and joy is incredible to be a part of. One example of this transformation was that, I had a client who came to me in an extremely toxic relationship, struggling to make any kind of consistent income, all while running a business that she didn’t love. She hired me, and that was the day that she finally decided to go “all in” on herself. By the end of our 6-month coaching program, she left her toxic relationship, chose to put herself first, manifested a new partner, and is now making 10x the amount of her old income!

It never ceases to amaze me just how powerful this work is. Some call it crazy, I call it possible.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

I have three specific people who come to mind when I think about the gratitude that I have towards others who’ve helped me along my entrepreneurial journey. This question is very personal to me. The first person is, and was, the first love of my life. They showed me what tenderness and love could do for a person who’s going through some difficult moments. When we were together, I was so hurt and lost, and quite frankly at a rock-bottom. After our break-up, I knew that the woman I was, was not the woman I wanted to be. From there, I committed to my healing journey. And although it may seem strange and even painful, this new motivation catapulted me into a better version of myself who’s now able to fully show-up as a strong leader for my clients.

That break-up led me to go “all in” on my healing journey and guided me to the next individual on my list, who is a friend, powerful healer and mentor, Amanda. I went to get my first psychic reading done and we truly connected on a soul-level. She helped me reclaim my power and tap into my gifts. Amanda is now a business partner and still a valuable mentor to me. She has been in my corner since my days of struggle and has watched me grow into a multi six-figure business owner, where I’m able to give the same type of support for other women around the world.

The third person that I wanted to mention was my grandmother. She helped raise me during my younger, harder years. She taught me to love others and treat people the way I want to be treated. She would give the “shirt off her back” to help another and has always put everyone else before herself. My grandmother taught me selflessness and unconditional love, which goes a long way in the online coaching industry.

I am grateful for each of these people, as well as so many others who have supported me, taught me lessons, and added value to my entrepreneurial journey. They are what made me a strong CEO.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

“Yes,

You will rise from the ashes,

But the burning comes first.

For this part,

Darling,

You must be brave.”

― Kalen Dion

From my experience, a lot of people are afraid to start over. However, my success took a lot of transformations, evolutions and ego-deaths. I believe that you have to be willing to let go of your old patterns that do not serve you in order to become the best version of yourself; whether it be in your personal life or business. This quote truly resonates with me, because although letting go wasn’t easy, it is all encompassing and what guided me to growth.

Ok super. Thank you for all that. Let’s now shift to the main focus of our interview. We’d love to learn a bit about your company. What is the pain point that your company is helping to address?

The pain point that my company addresses is for women who may feel stuck or settled in a job that does not support or inspire them. As a coach, I am here to encourage my clients to take risks, start a brand that they’ve been dreaming about creating, or finally commit to learning new skills that will ultimately create better habits for their business. Oftentimes, in order for my clients to do this, they have to reclaim their power by setting new boundaries, healing old traumas that cause self-sabotaging patterns in their business, and/or making self-care routines a priority. A huge mission for my company is to help women heal. I truly believe that when women heal, it causes a ripple effect, and the world heals along with them.

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

What makes my mentorship business stand out is that I mix the “masculine” and the “feminine” into my coaching methods. Especially in this industry, many mentors may teach intuition and passion-purpose, or strategy and structure, but rarely both. This unbalanced energy creates misalignment in running a business. I combine these two energies by marrying them together, which in turn creates unstoppable brands for my clients.

So many clients have shared with me just how much they appreciate my combined teachings in my coaching containers. This is because I truly find both to be equally as important. Business has a time for play and fun, as well as a time for hard-work and structure! Marry them both.

When you first started the business, what drove you, what was your primary motivation?

I remember what it was like to have no idea what I was doing with my life. I remember what it felt like to be without a purpose. To have unhealthy coping mechanisms, and to feel like I didn’t belong. I started my business to help other women heal deeper, find their sense of belonging, follow their passions, and ultimately create massive amounts of financial abundance. This is my primary motivation.

What drives you now? Is it the same? Did it change? Can you explain what you mean?

I still have the same drive to help women, but it’s on a much larger scale. The more I invest, learn and embody my role as a mentor, the more I teach my clients from a space of knowing and experience. So, now that I’ve seen lots of results in many areas of my business, I’ve shifted my focus to help women create more wealth, savings, and develop new business/spiritual practices and strategies. Alternatively, another drive for myself is to increase revenues so that I can contribute to more charitable causes. I’ve always felt a deep importance to giving-back.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

I have a few exciting new projects in the works for 2021. One is that I’m working on incorporating more in-person healing work into my services. There is nothing more life-changing than being able to guide my clients through an in-person healing, meditation, and transformational journey. I’m also coming out with a small retreat experience some time this year. I’m officially starting a podcast, which will be announced in the next couple of months. Stay tuned! And last, but not least, I’ll be coming out with some new courses, workshops, and services.

This year is all about connection and growth. I’m on a mission to change more lives than ever in 2021.

Does your company have a sales team? If yes, do you have any advice about how companies can create very high performing sales teams?

Currently, I do not have a sales team, but my Online Business Manager writes sales copy with me for my upcoming programs. I think the most important factor for having any support in your selling process is making sure that your message is always personal and on-brand. Keeping the quality of “selling” the same when hiring a sales team, but not having to do it yourself, is important for growing a business. This is so the consultant, mentor, or coach can continue to deliver the same results with their clients without having to be on sales calls all day long. Lastly, when hiring a sales team, make sure that you invest in a team that sees your vision and value; which will help keep your brand’s integrity and consistency.

In your specific industry what methods have you found to be most effective in order to find and attract the right customers? Can you share any stories or examples?

The two most effective ways I have found that attract the right clients and customers to my offerings are brand-clarity, and organic sales funnels that focus on real results. When you start your online business, finding customers can feel extremely difficult. However, the clearer you are on your messaging, the more the right audience members will say “yes” and be attracted to your offers. When you have clarity on your brand mission as well as your funnels like email lists, Facebook groups, etc., you’ll naturally reach your ideal clients, and fast!

An example of this would be when I first started my journey as an entrepreneur. I knew that I wanted to work for myself, but I didn’t know how. I first started a media company, and then tried blogging. On the contrary to my previous endeavors, the mission for my coaching company was so clear and direct, which is the exact reason why I grew so quickly. The clarity wasn’t the only piece that helped me grow my audience. I started a private Facebook community where I made myself available and interactive for 100 days straight, so that my new clients and leads could feel my commitment and intimacy. This community has grown to over 5,000 people who are my exact ideal clients. This is because I focused on nurturing that type of individual with clarity, relevant content, masterclasses, and freebies.

Based on your experience, can you share a few strategies to give your customers the best possible user experience and customer service?

Giving your clients the best possible experience as a coach or service provider should be a non-negotiable. Some ways to give really customized personal experiences and service are to:
-Create a clear and easy onboarding process to avoid stress or confusion. This is so your clients get all the materials that they need within the first 24 hours of sending you a payment.
-Follow-up with old projects, check in on launches, and make note of the topics that were mentioned on consulting sessions for a more holistic and streamlined experience. A good tip is to take notes or record calls to remember specifics.
- Have an email address that handles all payment transactions. This is important for you and your clients, especially if there’s an issue with payment. You want to make sure that you’re able to handle these types of obstacles with urgency, efficiency and ease. The quicker they get resolved, the better!
-Prioritize yourself and make sure that you are dedicated to your boundaries. It is important to take time for yourself in this industry, so that you’re able to provide the best service for your clients. This will also set an example for your clients.

Thank you for all that. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “Five Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started My Consulting Business”. Please share a story or an example for each.

1. Not everyone is going to like you, so you might as well do what you love anyway! Furthermore, the bigger your brand gets, the more opportunities people are going to have to comment on your business and/or successes. Always keep your vision, and don’t let the external words change your internal passions and drive. Regardless of what happens, when you stay clear on your vision and integrity, the right audience members will come.
2. Business has ebbs and flows. There will always be different phases in your business, and that’s okay. Embrace each one and honor the phase that you’re in right now. Not every month is going to be a big cash month. It doesn’t mean that you’re failing at your business, it just means that your currently in a phase. These ebbs and flows are what make your business sustainable and helps you learn what needs to be adjusted. Celebrate your successes and learn from your ups, downs, and everything in between.
3. Boundaries are essential. People pleasing is a sure killer of someone’s life and business. Knowing when to say yes, and when to say no, is one of the most important things that you’ll learn as a business owner. Knowing how to not overwork or overpromise is key to running a successful consulting company. In addition, when you’re in the middle of running a successful consulting business, make sure to be clear on your packages and what they entail as far as working hours. This will help you avoid some hard conversations if you do end up providing more than your scope of work.
4. You don’t need to do it all on your own. Having a team and structure can help you stay organized. When I hired my Online Business Manager, I had already scaled my business to six-figures. I knew that in order to get to my next level, I needed to create more time and space for myself. When I hired my OBM, I delegated so many tasks that I didn’t love to do or have the time for. This allowed me to continue delivering for my client, stay in my zone of genius, launch faster, sell my programs more consistently. My advice would be to hire a mentor, team member, or whoever you need to support you that will get you to the next level in your industry.
5. Income and creating wealth are two different things. Making a lot of money in this industry is incredible but knowing how to save and invest is just as important. Over the past year, I’ve learned a lot about investing in stocks, started a 401K, and learned how to create different streams of income. My goals quickly shifted from just being profitable to creating long-term wealth. This isn’t taught enough in the consulting industry, and it is something you should definitely devote some time and energy into. Wealth is attainable when you dedicate yourself to learning the best practices early on.

Wonderful. We are nearly done. Here are the final “meaty” questions of our discussion. You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

Do one selfless act a day. Gratitude and caring for others have completely changed the trajectory of my life. The more that we choose to “love” one another, the more the world will be in a better place. Nothing is more powerful than love and kindness. You have no idea how much you can change someone’s day just by providing a simple act of kindness.

We are very blessed that very prominent leaders read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them :-)

GaryVee. He has been an inspiration to me ever since the first time I watched one of his educational videos. He is so authentic and honest, and doesn’t care what other people think about him. He often gives back and has a plethora of free content; showing his huge heart. He’s changed so many people’s lives, including my own. I once waited in line, with no sleep for 8 hours just to meet him for a book signing. He embodies incredible leadership and selflessness.

Thank you so much for this. This was very inspirational, and we wish you only continued success!