254: Skip the Icky and Find Out How to Sell with Stories

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Episode 254 • 3rd October 2024 • Burnout To All Out Podcast • Melissa Henault

Melissa:

Alright. You guys, welcome again to another burnout to all out episode with one of our incredible Elevate 360 mastermind members, Sarah Davenport. Sarah, welcome to the show.

Sarah Davenport:

Thank you. I'm so excited to be here.

Melissa:

Yes. This is gonna be so fun. I think your story is so inspirational, and I just wanna dive right in, because you haven't always been the multifaceted founder, CEO, entrepreneur that you are today, running an agency, running coaching programs. You've got multiple businesses. There was a time when you were a burnt out TV anchor. Right?

Sarah Davenport:

Yeah. That's all I ever wanted to do. I never thought business owner, entrepreneur. I mean, those weren't even they they just weren't even anywhere in my thoughts. It was always I just wanted to be in TV from the time I was little.

Melissa:

Yeah. So I know you've got a really fascinating story about this because I know from the outside looking in, you had it all. Mhmm. But there was obviously, there's always this pivotal moment, in any entrepreneur's journey of, like, enough is enough, and they make the pivot. Right? Mhmm. So can you talk to us a little bit about your journey, to where you are today? Because I think it's gonna be so inspirational for so many, especially moms out there, and the risks and the decisions that you decided to make that have taken you on this path to where you are today with the impact you're making, which probably wouldn't have happened if you hadn't have been on the journey in the first place.

Sarah Davenport:

That's right. Right? Yeah. We always hear that phrase, you know, when one door closes, another one opens. Mhmm. For me, it was a window, a very small window in a basement, I think, that opened. It was not anything I was looking for, and I kinda went through that window hesitantly. It's not something I wanted to do. I wanted to be in TV forever even though I was burned out.

Sarah Davenport:

I wouldn't let myself see anything else because that's all I knew. Right? So my background, my mom being one of the first females ever

Sara Davenport:

in television. So my mom and Oprah

Sarah Davenport:

started around the same time, early seventies, and television. So my mom and Oprah started around the same time, early seventies. And as the fact that back then women were not in TV, so she was breaking so much ground and breaking all the rules and all the ceilings. And I got to follow her and see her, and I wanted to be her. And that's all I ever wanted to do. And I remember I would follow her to the station. She would anchor the 6 and 10 o'clock news in Chicago, 6 and 11 o'clock news in Philly. And I just wanted to be around her, soak it all in, and I loved the connections she could make with people.

Sarah Davenport:

She, her whole living was telling other people's stories. Right? But the connection she had with them, I wanted that. It wasn't so much being in front of a camera and the lights and all the fun. It was that you really got to know people in probably a vulnerable time of their lives, or really happy and exciting time in their lives. But there was a story that you got to tell. Mhmm. And I love that, and I want to do that. And I'm the kinda person who, I'm an Enneagram 3, like put my head down.

Sarah Davenport:

Okay. If I want this, I'm going after it. I'm gonna achieve it. Right? Yes. And I did right out of college. A couple weeks after graduating, I got my first on air job in upstate New York, little itty bitty town.

Melissa:

So you got the

Sara Davenport:

Mhmm. Job. Mhmm.

Melissa:

At New York. And where did you go from there?

Sarah Davenport:

Oh, it was a dream net. That's what I always wanted to do. I think we had maybe a 100 people watch no. That's a total exaggeration. There's tens of thousands of people in Utica, New York, but it was not the hard news. It wasn't a lot of really compelling TV. I was covering, you know, the Maple Syrup Festival or, you know, like, I was a Saturday and Sunday weekend reporter Uh-huh. And weekday, 3 days a week.

Sarah Davenport:

And I eventually made my way up to producing, and I loved writing all the stories and then anchoring. And then I got a call from Knoxville, Tennessee, and they wanted me to come and do a lifestyle show. I thought, great. Away from, you know, hard ish news. I mean, Utica didn't have any, like, major murders or breaking news.

Sara Davenport:

But I

Sarah Davenport:

was excited to be in Knoxville and spent 5 years there doing some really cool shows with some really cool people. It was actually the number one NBC affiliate in the nation as far as the number

Sara Davenport:

of viewers.

Sarah Davenport:

It was, like, a must see TV. People turned on at 5 o'clock. They had to see, because they loved the good news side of it. Right? Because we're so used to seeing in bigger cities, like Charlotte and others, all the bad stuff. People loved the good stuff. So that's where my love of storytelling, like, took another level. But then something inside me, and this I think a lot of those of us as women who are driven go, but what's more? What's next? What could I achieve? And I wanted to be in the big city, right, where you know, 4,000,000 people would watch me in the morning in Houston, Texas. That was my next move was to Houston.

Sarah Davenport:

And outside, like you mentioned, like, on the outside, it looked amazing. Right? I had the big house and the cars and the boat and the kids and full time nannies that lived with us, and it looked amazing. And behind closed doors, the truth was I was waking up at 2:30 in the morning to be at work by 3:30 AM. So I never got to, this is ridiculous, but I never got to do breakfast with the kids. I never got to make lunch. Now listen, I

Melissa:

Those are the moments.

Sarah Davenport:

Yeah, with 4 kids, I've made enough lunches. Now I'm like, someone else can make the lunches, please. I'm done with making lunches. But I wanted to be there for the little things. But I really, looking back on it, that's how I grew up. My mom wasn't around.

Melissa:

So it was normal. It was normal for me,

Sarah Davenport:

and I didn't I didn't know of a way out, but I knew something inside me was was starting to stir. Like, there had to be more. Yes, I made it to the, one of the biggest cities in America. Yes, I had this coveted job that 16,000 people graduate every year with broadcast journalism degrees going, I wanna be on TV. I'm like, oh great, they're all gunning for my job. So I knew that TV was very competitive. I knew I had made it, but I knew I wanted something more, and I wanted to be present with my kids. I always say I was chasing hurricanes instead of chasing my kids.

Sarah Davenport:

You know, I'd walk in. One of the reasons I knew I had to leave, I walked in 1 morning. I'm like so, said to my we had a staff of about 6 writers. How many stabbings and shootings? And they're, like, slow night, 3. I'm, like, oh, god. That's it? And that's when I went, okay.

Sara Davenport:

But right

Sarah Davenport:

now, it turned out, like, I just said only 3 stabbings and shootings? Like, something's got changed. And my little ones were starting to digger, and they were in elementary school. And I I knew in my heart what my mom had missed. And I didn't wanna do the same thing. And I don't fault her for it. She was chasing this big dream and made huge strides for all women in journalism.

Sara Davenport:

But I

Sarah Davenport:

was like, I don't have to do that. Like, there's, maybe there's something else out there. Mhmm. But I wouldn't listen to, you know, the little hints or the the gut pulls that you would have, the fire in your belly going, maybe there's more, because I thought this was what I was supposed to do. And I had made it. At the age of 29, I was anchoring in this huge city and living my dreams and making the money, but I was crying myself to sleep. So when I said behind closed doors, Sunday nights, everybody gets Sunday scaries. I get that.

Sarah Davenport:

But Sunday nights were horrible. My husband would have to come in and rub my back so I could just try to shut my brain off to go to sleep because I knew I had to wake up at 2:30, and then all of a sudden at 7 o'clock at night, 8 o'clock night, I'm getting less and less sleep. I'm in my head, I'm freaking out. How am I gonna you have to look awake, you know, at 5 AM on TV, and you have to look good, and you can't look sleep deprived. And so I'm stressing myself out, and I'm sleeping less, and my co anchor would call me and go, okay, I'm wearing a salmon tie, but it's more of like a a raw salmon, not a cooked salmon. I need you to wear a jacket or something that matches it. It was stupid stuff, and I was over it and over the lack of sleep. And but I didn't know what else to do.

Sara Davenport:

Mhmm. Mhmm.

Melissa:

Okay. So here you are feeling like total totally unaligned.

Sarah Davenport:

Mhmm.

Melissa:

Yet all that's been shown to you is this is the path. Yeah. Right?

Sara Davenport:

And

Melissa:

what, I mean, what happens from there?

Sarah Davenport:

Mhmm. So the funny thing is, my parents had shown another path too, but I was so like, my blinders were on.

Sara Davenport:

Mhmm.

Sarah Davenport:

It was all television. My dad was an entrepreneur. Started his own business in his twenties, which he just sold in his early eighties. So he had been an entrepreneur, and it allowed him to go to all my tennis matches. I played division 1 tennis. He traveled with my team, basically. He would show up at all my matches, which was, I'm always so grateful for that and for those memories. I'm like, well I wanna do what he did when I, as my kids get older.

Sarah Davenport:

And my dad could take us to school and could make every play, and I'm like, oh but how did he do that? Oh wait, he was an entrepreneur. Interesting. And my mom left television and started her own production company, doing big documentaries all across the US, shown on so many different networks. But then got into politics, became a state senator. And I was like, there's no way ever you could pay me enough to get

Sara Davenport:

into politics. Right? Like, no thank you.

Sarah Davenport:

She went and, you know, blew through more glass ceilings and broke more ground in that area. But I'm like, that's not an area I'm gonna follow you in. Yeah. But that entrepreneurial side of me started to wake up. And I was, pregnant and was going to have a baby on a Monday. Right? I was get this is so crazy. My pregnancies were scheduled around my contracts with NBC. Oh, fuck.

Sarah Davenport:

Because you can't be pregnant looking for a job.

Sara Davenport:

Right.

Sarah Davenport:

And you can't have a new baby and not lost the weight and go find a new job. So you have to, like, literally

Melissa:

That's wild.

Sarah Davenport:

Insane. My kids are 5 years apart, 4 years apart based on contracts with NBC. So I knew that as I was pregnant, I was having a baby. I was gonna be induced, and my news director came into me on that Friday, maybe it was the Thursday, and said, listen, I know you're having a day, but I need to anchor The Weeknd. I'm like, but no no no. I'm the weekday morning show. I'm done Friday morning.

Sara Davenport:

Mhmm.

Sarah Davenport:

No no no. Well, I need you to work on the weekends because your viewers are gonna forget who you are soon enough, You're gonna be gone for 3 months, so let's give them at least 2 more days with you. I said, well, I'm being induced at 6 AM Monday morning, and you want me to anchor the news at 10 o'clock on Sunday, go home, and then have a baby a few hours later? She's like, yeah, sounds good. And I said yes. Wow. Because there's so much pressure and so much stress in that industry, and I did it. And I cried the whole way home, and the whole way to the hospital the next day, and I was like, I have to change. Something has to

Melissa:

give. Yeah.

Sarah Davenport:

And at that home maternity leave, I remember sitting up late at night, nursing the baby, and going, what am I gonna do? What am I gonna do? And my wheels were turning. Yeah. And so And you have lots

Melissa:

of sleepless nights to think

Sarah Davenport:

during that time. Plenty of time. No. I don't know if my thoughts were really clear or

Sara Davenport:

if there

Sarah Davenport:

was a lot of clarity in them.

Sara Davenport:

Some of

Sarah Davenport:

the things I was like, I could do this. I'm like, nope.

Sara Davenport:

No. I couldn't do that.

Sarah Davenport:

I mean, not I wasn't thinking like pole dancing kinda stuff. But I was thinking like just all kinds of random stuff. And a friend of mine had been in social selling, in the social marketing industry. Had she been a TV anchor. I'm like, bless your heart. That's so cute. I like you little influencers today. That's not me.

Sarah Davenport:

She's like, you need to take a peek at it. This could be a fit. And so I actually jumped in, and I did really well with that. Mhmm. But that wasn't the end of my story.

Melissa:

Right.

Sarah Davenport:

And I realized for a lot of us

Melissa:

It's like a stepping stone

Sara Davenport:

for you.

Sarah Davenport:

Yeah. I think and and I think you probably attest to this too. When we go into an industry, or as women who are working, sometimes we put ourselves in a box. And these skills we have are in a box. And there's so many other skills that we don't use because they are not part of what's in that box. And so then I got into the box of social selling. I'm like, but there's more that I can do. Yep.

Sarah Davenport:

And so starting my own business, I realized there's so many skills that I have to, like, dust off.

Melissa:

Right.

Sarah Davenport:

I'm dusting off my dreams. I'm dusting off my skill set, and I'm diving into an all in entrepreneurial journey. And it has been the best journey. Yes. Oh my gosh.

Melissa:

And we're gonna get into this journey. But first, just to pause and, like, you know, give some gratitude for I know you and I have been on a very similar journey that the opportunity to jump into, the social selling realm, and really build a business with little risk. You know? It was such a great, like, training wheel

Sarah Davenport:

Yeah.

Melissa:

Journey to get started in entrepreneurship. And I know you and I both experienced that. And I think in my realm, in how we found each other through the lead gen academy and you coming through is one of the things I've noticed, and maybe you would agree with this, is that people in that industry who become really successful, there's something specific about their skill set that's allowed them to succeed against all odds and be wildly successful in the social selling space. And for those who can reflect and say, wait a minute. What is it that I've done that's made me so wildly successful in this world of networking and leadership and business growth? And how can I potentially even step further into my power, take what I know as intellectual property, and start my own damn business? Right? And that's what you did. Mhmm. Right?

Sarah Davenport:

The I think you hit on something huge there because the people who have made it to the top 1%, 2%, as we both did, we've developed amazing skills along the way that we had in us. We just needed to hone it a little bit more. The leadership skills mindset, mindset's huge. Huge. Resilience.

Sara Davenport:

Right.

Sarah Davenport:

As an entrepreneur, you're gonna need that

Melissa:

stuff. Failure.

Sara Davenport:

Right. Being

Sarah Davenport:

able to go back again and again. Right.

Melissa:

And the and from coming from social selling, the ability to follow-up, follow-up, follow-up, and next, and next, and next. A lot of people don't have that kinda

Sarah Davenport:

grit. They don't. And I think grit is so underestimated in the world. Yeah. And I think you probably built this up too in your pharma career and I did in TV is that we couldn't the word no wasn't acceptable.

Melissa:

Just not right now.

Sarah Davenport:

That's what no means. Exactly. So if someone said no, it's like, alright. Well, we'll get back to and on the flip side for me and TV, I couldn't go back to the station and go, well, I couldn't get the story today. They didn't wanna

Sara Davenport:

talk. Right?

Sarah Davenport:

They're like, well, now we have a minute of blank air that's gonna go on at 6 PM tonight, so you have no choice. So with TV, I had to find a way around now

Sara Davenport:

Yeah.

Sarah Davenport:

Like, I had to Yeah. Or I wouldn't have a job.

Melissa:

It was very similar to when I was a pharmaceutical sales rep when we had to go out in the field and get into the hospitals and find the key decision makers. It wasn't an option to leave that hospital without finding that person who was the key decision maker to work on contracts. Right?

Sarah Davenport:

That's so true. Yeah. So I think the word no has we have to lean into the power of no sometimes. There's a book called, like, I don't remember, the power of no. And, you know, how many noes can you hear before you hear a yes? And that's okay. Mhmm. So many people quit before success because they've heard too many no's, or they think that they have exhausted all their possibilities. They just have to get creative and find a different way around it.

Sarah Davenport:

Right? You can't go over the mountain. Maybe you need to go around the mountain. And I think in our prior lives as professionals and then into the social selling world and then now as entrepreneurs, the word no can't stop you. That's right. Yet.

Melissa:

Right. And it stops a lot of people.

Sarah Davenport:

It does.

Melissa:

It's like, oh, no. It didn't either they said no or it didn't work out. Mhmm. So Mhmm. It's just not meant to be. Yeah. Yeah. Okay.

Melissa:

So this is fascinating. So what I love is so before we jump into, like, your zone of genius today and what you're doing with the power of storytelling, if you could, with where you are today as an entrepreneur, multifaceted founder of a lot of cool stuff we're gonna talk about next, You look back at the early stages of Sarah who were making the leap and starting your own, starting out on your own.

Sara Davenport:

As far

Sarah Davenport:

as my own business or in TV?

Melissa:

In your business.

Sarah Davenport:

Okay. Mhmm.

Melissa:

With what you've learned, is there any key advice that you would give younger Sarah who is getting started? And or is there anything you would have done differently with the knowledge you have today?

Sarah Davenport:

2 things I think that were important that I did early that I didn't realize the importance. Number 1 is invest Mhmm. In yourself.

Melissa:

Yeah. Mhmm.

Sarah Davenport:

And, I mean, for me, going through your lead gen academy absolutely changed the trajectory of my life. I mean, without a doubt, because I wouldn't have leaned into LinkedIn, and then leaned into the power of storytelling, and then leaned into transforming other people's lives in the ways that I do now Yeah. Had I not done that? Had I not invested in that to start with?

Melissa:

Right.

Sarah Davenport:

. And I did that right out of: 2020

Sara Davenport:

Right? I remember that because

Melissa:

I was like, they're doing math really crazy now, and

Sara Davenport:

I don't know how I

Melissa:

we carry the ones growing up.

Sarah Davenport:

Yes. I love carrying the wine. Where are you now?

Sara Davenport:

I'm screwing

Melissa:

my kids up right now because I don't know how to

Sarah Davenport:

do their math. Yeah. I mean, I was trying to teach my son to read. I'm like, I'm failing miserably. And I have 4 kids. This is my 4th one. And I'm like, Lord, why do you give me the easy ones early, and they're the tougher ones and too old for this stuff? So anyway, I'm glad that I invested in myself, even though it was crazy to me to think, like, I don't even know if this is gonna work, so why would I? But instead I thought, why wouldn't I? Why wouldn't I give myself a chance at something different? Right? So I would say invest in myself. The other thing that I did is that I went all in.

Sarah Davenport:

Mhmm. I didn't just play with it when I started coming up with my business. I'm, like, no, I'm running. Yeah. Because I see some people, they go, oh, I love this idea, and then they'll play with it a little bit on Monday. And then maybe the following Monday, and the next month, they pick it up again. Yeah. No.

Sarah Davenport:

No. No. I really think that not only does fortune come in the follow-up, but fortune also comes from speed. If you've got something momentum with it. Yes. Yeah. The momentum's going to build to the fortune. It's going to build to the huge transformation for you and your clients.

Sarah Davenport:

But you gotta get that speed. Totally. It's kind of like, you know, if you're gonna have a baby, how many hours were you in labor with your kids?

Melissa:

The first one, like 12.

Sarah Davenport:

Okay. My first one I was in labor for 4 hours. My last one was 36 minutes. So at the end of the day, whether you're in labor for 12 hours or 36 minutes, you're gonna have a baby at the end of the day. Right. Why not just knock it out and get it done in 36 minutes if you could.

Sara Davenport:

Right? Yeah. Oh, yeah. By 3rd, it

Melissa:

was like, let's get this shit on the road. Right.

Sarah Davenport:

Let's do this. Yeah.

Sara Davenport:

At the end of

Sarah Davenport:

the day, you're gonna have a baby. Let's speed this process up and get it done. No one wants to be in that labor part. So it's the same thing with building a business. Don't drag it out because then it's painful

Sara Davenport:

Mhmm.

Sarah Davenport:

And you may not finish Yeah. The race.

Melissa:

Like So let's talk about this for a minute because if you're open to it, I'd love to because I think this is really inspirational some to some of my listeners, is your timeline from from conception, from idea Mhmm. To birthing the first thing

Sarah Davenport:

Yeah.

Melissa:

To where you are today. And if you're comfortable sharing, like, where you are revenue wise

Sara Davenport:

Mhmm.

Melissa:

And the timeline of how this how this happened for you. Because I think that in a in a lot of people's minds, they're like, oh, it's gonna take me years. I've gotta perfect my website. I've gotta perfect my offer. I don't know exactly what I'm selling. I don't know who my ideal client is. Can you walk folks through your timeline of, I know I was made for more Mhmm. And I wanna build something new to it being built, it being executed, and, like, where you are today.

Melissa:

Can you take us through that time line?

Sarah Davenport:

Absolutely. Because it's wild to think back on it and to also think it hasn't been that long. Yeah. Right? So, you know, in between after leaving full time TV, I still do, you know, freelance television. I do true crime shows. I tell people don't watch those, but I do them. And I do on camera coaching for Fortune 500 companies. So I've stayed in front of the camera and doing things, but I wanted something that was my own, that I could build, that I could scale, that was in this online digital world because that is where things are going.

Sarah Davenport:

Yeah.

Melissa:

And you can make huge impact.

Sarah Davenport:

Huge impact. Yeah. And you can make a pretty nice living alongside. Right?

Sara Davenport:

As you've learned. Yes. Yes.

Sarah Davenport:

So for me, it it honestly, it was here in Charlotte 2 years ago. Oh, yeah. Yeah. I came to your live event. When the when the building caught on fire. Yeah. The building caught on fire. Yes.

Sarah Davenport:

That's exactly right. And we landed in a hurricane. So it was like all the reasons why things shouldn't work out. But when things start going wrong, sometimes I think, oh, no, no. That's just so you can prove it's gonna be good. And if you think in the back of your mind, and I I like to say this to myself, like, it's always working out for me, because things always work out for me. Things are falling apart around me, but I'm saying Working

Melissa:

out for me.

Sarah Davenport:

Things are working out for me. Yes. Because I I do believe that if you have a positive mindset, and I also believe, and this is not the answer to your question, but for me, sometimes when we're building a business, we're so in the details. It's like if you thought of Google Zoom, right, or Google Maps, you're you're sitting there looking at McDowell Street,

Sara Davenport:

which is the end of the lockdown. Yeah.

Sarah Davenport:

We're looking at McDowell Street, and this is where it is. And everything's going wrong. There's a fire in the building, and there's a hurricane around us, literally. Or you could take the Google Zoom picture, like zoom way out and what God sees. And he's putting the pieces together. Yes. You can't see it because you're down there on McDowell Street and that's all

Sara Davenport:

you see. That's right.

Sarah Davenport:

Yeah.

Sara Davenport:

So if

Sarah Davenport:

you keep thinking everything's working out for me, Google Zoom, God's got this. He's got the Google Zoom. Yeah. Like, I think that all the time. I have it up on my wall in my office. Like, I can't see the 30,000 foot view, but God can, and he's putting the pieces together. I gotta trust.

Sara Davenport:

Yeah.

Melissa:

I gotta trust.

Sarah Davenport:

Yeah. So I go to this event in Charlotte, trusting through the hurricane and through the burning building. Turns out the power going out. There's a reason that I'm here, and I didn't know a single person.

Sara Davenport:

That was

Sarah Davenport:

the first time you and I met. That's right. I had not met one person. Yeah. Not one. But I came in to do some on camera coaching with your mastermind. That's right. And I left there to go do a big shoot, a big video shoot that was gonna just take off and be huge.

Sarah Davenport:

And I didn't know it at the time, but I was gonna be driving across to South Carolina, like 4 hour drive. That whole drive, my mind was going a million miles. Like, I could do this, I could do that. I hadn't really opened up my mind. But we get back to investing in yourself and taking those risks, and taking the risk to go to this event where I didn't know anybody. Taking the risk to be a part of the lead gen academy. Like, why not? Instead of saying, well, is this for me? No, why wouldn't it be for you? So I go there, I'm driving in all these ideas. I'm gonna write a book.

Sarah Davenport:

I'm gonna start a podcast. I'm gonna start a business.

Sara Davenport:

I'm gonna

Sarah Davenport:

do all these things. Right?

Melissa:

So you were inspired.

Sarah Davenport:

I was inspired. And a lot of people leave events inspired, and then they don't

Melissa:

do anything with it. Yeah.

Sarah Davenport:

So I had learned from years to take notes. I always have a notebook with me, but then to reflect on the notes you've taken. How many of us take notes and we never look at them again? Right? Yeah. Yeah. A lot. So, and you and I were just talking about how we both love to read and take notes and highlight. Yes. So I love going back through books and through notes of mine, and that whole trip afterwards where I'm on this big video shoot with a big crew.

Sarah Davenport:

Some of them worked for Discovery and CNN, and I kept pouring through my notes. So I'm thinking, I'm thinking about this big interview I'm about to do.

Sara Davenport:

Oh, no. No. No. No. No.

Sarah Davenport:

I'm sitting there pouring through notes thinking of, like, what could I build? What would this look like? So that was 2 years ago, October. Mhmm. So not even even, not even quite 2 years. And I thought, where is my passion? What makes me unique? What do I love? Remember I talked about that box? I was in a box in TV. Mhmm. I was in a box in network marketing. If I want out of the box

Sara Davenport:

Mhmm.

Sarah Davenport:

Which I think will probably be my podcast name, like out of the box. Right?

Sara Davenport:

Oh, I love that.

Sarah Davenport:

Because a box of television, right? Like I was in a physical box, so my kids would watch me at night and I'm in a box. But if I wanna get out of this box and build something big, what skills, what makes me unique? And it's not just my past, am I being on TV or my journal, but, like, where do I connect with people? What do people what do people see in me that maybe I don't see in myself? Yeah. And where are my skills that I could help someone else to truly transform? And I I mean, I was spitballing. I didn't even know. So I started asking some of my closest friends and said, what, you know, this is what I'm thinking of doing. What do you see me being able to do? And they started breathing life into me. Oh my gosh, you're so good at this and you're so good at that. So if you're trying to figure out what that business would be, talk to your closest network and ask them.

Sara Davenport:

They see it. That they see

Melissa:

your zone of genius.

Sarah Davenport:

Yes, that you may not see.

Sara Davenport:

And I

Sarah Davenport:

had a close friend, Deanna Herron, who just spoke so much life into me. Yeah. And she was like, Sarah, you're so good at this, and you're so good at that. And you know when it's that you start sitting up, you just take it in. Also take note, because you don't wanna forget. And so what Deanna said and some others, I was like, I know that I can help people who are in my situation in television. There's so many who want out of TV, who are laying in bed at night in tears wanting to be with their kids. There's so many that want out of this.

Sarah Davenport:

I mean, a crazy election year. Like, they don't wanna uncovering this crap. They don't. They really don't. Right? There's so many that want out. How can I help them? And so I spent 3 or 4 months digging in, going, learning what I need to learn. Again, investing and taking courses and learning. How do I help them with resumes? How do I help them with interview skills? How do I help because I can't just get there, because that's where impostor syndrome really kicks in, because I would've been an impostor had I not spent that time on myself.

Sarah Davenport:

Yeah. So you have to learn, and I spent the time learning. And it was January. Is that when January that we went for the mastermind, or was that February for Scottsdale? Feb February. So October through February, I did a ton of research. And and I say a ton not in once a week here and there. I mean, I dug in deep. I mean, hours a day.

Sarah Davenport:

Mhmm. And really thinking through where could I stand comfortably and know I can teach somebody else something.

Sara Davenport:

Sarah Davenport:

remember you said, as long as you're a couple steps ahead of them

Sara Davenport:

Mhmm.

Sarah Davenport:

You can teach them. Yes.

Sara Davenport:

And I

Sarah Davenport:

thought, okay. Well, I wanna get a lot of steps ahead of them so that I can really, truly, authentically help them. Mhmm. And so that February, I had an idea. It was gonna be breaking out of Breaking News Academy or something. I don't know. And I remember just kinda, again, pitching those ideas to the speakers you brought in, to Chris Harder, to Preston Smiles, and to others. And I absolutely left that going, I'm doing this.

Sarah Davenport:

I'm doing it. I don't know what I'm doing. I'm gonna figure out this live launch. I'm just gonna go do it. Jackie's, like, build a funnel and a freebie. I'm, like, I have no idea what those are.

Melissa:

Yes. No idea. Right?

Sarah Davenport:

It literally took me months to wrap my mind around the funnel because I'm envisioning an actual funnel. Like, I'm, like, this isn't what okay. Anyway and so that was February. I launched my business in May. Alright. So 3 months.

Melissa:

October to November, December, January, February, March, April, May.

Sarah Davenport:

So 7 months in Of really learning, developing, and it was, like think about a duck. When you see a duck on top of the water, they just seem so calm and serene, but underwater, they're like chowling like crazy. That was me. From the outside, it's like, oh, she's not really doing anything. But behind closed doors

Melissa:

You're building a foundation.

Sarah Davenport:

I was. There's a great book called Win in the Dark by I think Joseph Metcalfe. And he writes some, they're great books for your kids to read and that you can read with them. One called Pound the Stone. Man, that's a fantastic book. And we'd listen to it on Audible in my car. But Win in the Dark, and it's do things when nobody's looking, so suddenly you'll look like this overnight success. Right? And so when nobody's looking for the 7 months, I really dug in, figured out what I was going to teach.

Sara Davenport:

And I

Sarah Davenport:

hadn't put the business together,

Sara Davenport:

but

Sarah Davenport:

I just got all the tools that I needed. And after we left in February, that's when I put in the tools. I'm gonna learn the funnels. I'm gonna learn how to create, you know, an academy, or I need a website. What is it? I didn't my website started being built in March. Mhmm.

Sara Davenport:

Sarah Davenport:

was done in April when I launched. Like, it all happened so fast.

Melissa:

Radical action.

Sarah Davenport:

Yeah, it was crazy. It was, I mean, I don't know that I was sleeping a whole lot, but I was able off, and I was shocked. I think I had like $4,000 almost a website. Right. And it covered a few other expenses. I'm like, well, hey. Basically, I'm almost I'm almost breaking even. Breaking even? Yeah.

Sarah Davenport:

Let's get started. Months.

Melissa:

Yeah.

Sarah Davenport:

And I just kept doing it over and over and putting into action what I had learned with you and Jackie, and then really decided that I wasn't gonna fail. I was gonna make this happen. And by the end of December, I'd had several launches. I probably had worked with maybe 30 different clients at that time, but the best part was for these journalists, I helped them find new positions. Yes. I've helped in fact, I just posted on LinkedIn one from yesterday. She's like, I got the job. I'm so thankful to you and the the academy and the group we're working with, and it brings me so much joy to see that I actually am transforming lives, like literally, and families, and these these moms are able to be home with their kids now, and these dads are able to be present in their families' lives now because of the work that I'm doing all in under a year to make such a massive change for them.

Sara Davenport:

Yes.

Sarah Davenport:

But I also knew that wasn't the end for me.

Sara Davenport:

Yep. Mhmm.

Sarah Davenport:

Right? And I think you helped me through that again through this mastermind, the 2nd co round. Right? Yes. Yes. That was just this past February. Yep. Sat in a room, and again, what I loved is you had us all kinda put out our superpower, but also ask questions of the audience. Mhmm. Mhmm.

Sarah Davenport:

And one person who's in, in our mastermind, Darla Boggs, said, she's like, Siri, this is great. You're working with the broadcasters, but you light up when you talk about storytelling. I'm like, I do. It's the heart of everything I do. It's the heart of my my entire career. And she was like, I think you need to look into that. So sure enough, we're in Savannah for 4 days. And for 4 days or 3 days, all I did was start planning out

Melissa:

this new Yeah. You were in the zone during that retreat.

Sarah Davenport:

Oh, big time. So that was February. I launched that in May. So from nothing to something. And now that something is even bigger. And my agency, a marketing agency, I built along the way throughout all of this. So I went from 0 businesses Yeah. Leaving a burning building in the middle of a hurricane going, what could I do? 2 years ago.

Sarah Davenport:

And now I believe at the end of this year, this year's revenue will be close to half a $1,000,000. Oh, I love it so much. Yes. Isn't that wild?

Melissa:

And for the listeners, what I want you to hear is what you said. Like, when you first got started, you made $4,000.

Sara Davenport:

Mhmm.

Melissa:

And it the lens you took was this is a win. Yes. I've covered my expenses, and I am determined to make this work. Mhmm. And within 2 years, a half a $1,000,000 in revenue.

Sarah Davenport:

Yes. Well, really, from this because, really, even by the end of last year, I'd have to go back and look, but we are probably right around, you know, a 100,000 maybe by the end of the year. And then this year, 500,000. I'm like, okay. Melissa, I'm chasing chasing you.

Sara Davenport:

I'm following

Sarah Davenport:

you example. I'm like, okay. Can we do a 1,000,000 next year?

Sara Davenport:

Yeah. Of course you can.

Sarah Davenport:

Because that makes my armpits Yes. Sweat. Right? Like, we always say, like, it makes me a little nervous. But that is

Melissa:

that is my goal. Possible because you've taken such quantum leaps Mhmm.

Sara Davenport:

Melissa:

just a year in in a year Yeah. In 2 years.

Sarah Davenport:

In one year of, like, really digging into business,

Melissa:

which is wild. So incredible. Okay. So let's get into the storytelling because I know that you are a genius in this, and I know I I have a call with you tomorrow. We're gonna talk about how you can help manage our account on social on LinkedIn because you have such a gift from the storytelling standpoint and really get the power of LinkedIn, and you're using it to really grow your business and your brand. And I know our clients rave as we, like, like, as we pass them over to you, right, with the results that they're getting. And it's because of the angle you take with the storytelling. So for our listeners today who are like, dang.

Melissa:

to half a: 100000

Sarah Davenport:

Mhmm. So I think storytelling was underestimated for so long. Mhmm. You know, really during COVID and even just a few of the years post COVID, everyone was all over social media. And everyone's like, oh, suddenly I'm an influencer. I've got my phone, and I can tell you about my product or my service, and you can buy from me. And it got really salesy really fast. Facebook also got very much like a highlight reel really fast.

Sarah Davenport:

People don't wanna see a highlight reel. They wanna know the real life behind that reel. Like what's happening? Where's the authenticity?

Sara Davenport:

And I

Sarah Davenport:

think social media became false, fake. A lot of it, you know, like what they call Facebook, fake book. Right? So if you have an online brand, or honestly, any type of business, you have to lean into the power of authentic storytelling. Not just storytelling, but authentic. Like Mhmm. Because I truly believe in the name of my marketing agency is the hook in the heart. Because if you can hook them and then connect with their heart, and really their head and their heart, you will gain acceptance and then gain their interest and then potentially gain their business.

Sara Davenport:

Mhmm.

Sarah Davenport:

But you have to have a hook, a heart, and a head all in there in your stories. So I see a lot of online posts. Now if we look at LinkedIn posts, boy, those are horrible. Most people have no I mean, horrific. They have no idea. Look, I'm attending the conference. Come see me at booth number 463. And you're like, who cares? Or for my TV people, they're like, here I am with my latest Emmy.

Sarah Davenport:

Guess what? Emmy's become dust covered statues. Nobody cares. Seriously, nobody cares about your Emmy's. But we don't know what to do on LinkedIn. On Facebook, we think we should be posting about our Cheerios we have for breakfast. And on Instagram, we have to look beautiful in a gorgeous filter. And life has to look perfect. That won't gain you any client.

Sarah Davenport:

It just won't. It's a loud space. So how do you calm through the noise? Like, how do you make an impact? Well, number 1 is get on a platform that's not overused, which would be LinkedIn. Yes. Right? Like all people who own a business, no matter how big or how small, need to be on LinkedIn, period. End of story. Right. The second thing is when you're on LinkedIn, most people don't know what to do, so they will sell.

Sara Davenport:

Mhmm.

Sarah Davenport:

They sell. They're like, oh, I've got this great new, like, I've got this great podcast studio and you've gotta come check it out. We do podcasting here. Come come see us. Right. And that's awesome. That is you're offering your service. You're telling me, oh, we have 10,000 people who've come through here.

Sarah Davenport:

That's great. You're popular. But those are facts. And facts tell, but stories sell.

Sara Davenport:

Yes. Yeah.

Sarah Davenport:

So can you take me behind the scenes? Mhmm. Can you show me a little bit? Can you be raw and real? Mhmm. Because then I'm going to find a connection with you.

Sara Davenport:

Mhmm.

Sarah Davenport:

I'm gonna go, I know you. Okay. I kinda like you. Mhmm. And then the more I see, now I trust you.

Sara Davenport:

Mhmm.

Sarah Davenport:

So when you build up the know you, like you, trust you factor, they will buy from you. Whether that's a product, a physical product, or a service of some sort. Right. But you've gotta build that up. And to do that, it's through storytelling.

Melissa:

Yes. Yes. And it's so profound. And I've we've seen it tremendously in your business and the clients that you're working with. I know that even some of the fellow mastermind members here with Elevate 360 have, hired your agency, and they're seeing tremendous shifts in lead generation by telling their authentic stories. Yes. And so it's so powerful. So how does this is something I wanna ask beyond the the storytelling, the group coaching that you're doing.

Melissa:

What's really interesting is you're now in the realm of spinning a couple of different plates.

Sara Davenport:

Mhmm.

Melissa:

Right? So we've got this this offer that you have for, like, the the news the kind of the news industries. Yep. K. Then you have this storytelling, program that's been really beneficial to a lot of the entrepreneurs that we work with. And then you also have, the agency. Yes. And that's beyond the other things that you're still kind of spinning. Right? So now you're in the realm of, like, the multifaceted entrepreneur.

Sara Davenport:

Yeah.

Melissa:

to half a: 100000

Sarah Davenport:

And that was the hardest thing because I am a control freak, and I especially those of us who are journalists, we, you know, we put our stamp of, like, this is what we've created out to the world every day at 5 PM or at 6 PM. Mhmm. And with journalists, we have to become mini experts every day. So maybe one day I'm out at the Maple Sugar Festival or whatever. I'm gonna become a mini expert in the Maple Sugar Festival and be able to tell it to you in a way that's interesting. Yeah. And the next day, maybe, a little girl was hit by a, a drunk driver and died. And I've gotta go talk their family, and I've gotta find out who this little girl was, and what is her story, and what do her parents want to share, and what, so I might go from a really fun, silly, you know, to very serious, and I've gotta be able to tell it in a way with all this complex information in a way that a 7 year old can understand it.

Sarah Davenport:

Right? That that's how you write for television. It needs to be at that level of like a second or 1st grader. But in a way that's compelling and that it's must see TV. They don't wanna turn away. Right? So how am I gonna do that? So what I realized when I started my agency, when I started teaching storytelling is who knows that better than journalists? Right? So when I started my agency, I realized I can tell these stories, but there are only so many client stories I can tell. Just from the, I've got 4 kids. Right? And I've got a husband who travels, and and we love to travel as well. I don't have the time for that.

Sarah Davenport:

But I have this amazing group of journalists that I'm helping who would love a fun side hustle to do, and they love getting to know people and telling stories at a deeper level, versus just going in for a day and leaving, going in for a day. So when we work with a client, we get to go all in and just really immerse ourselves in that client's business and tell amazing stories. So I now have pulled, I guess I have 4 or 5 storytellers full time that are journalists that work for my agency, and they write all the content.

Melissa:

Which is incredible. Right.

Sarah Davenport:

So to have just journalists write, like, you know, to think, I'd think I'd like a journalist to write all of my social media content. Like, I know it's gonna be good. Right? Right. So that has made us really unique.

Melissa:

And you've created a sub economy for journalists who wanna get out of the industry.

Sarah Davenport:

Yeah. Yeah. It's just like their stepping stone. Right? So then that way they can do this. I've got a producer, from CNN that I'm working with right now. And I'm just teaching her the basics of storytelling for LinkedIn. Because even though you might be a great journalist on camera or behind the scenes, writing for social media, it's different, and each platform's different. Right? And LinkedIn is very different than the others.

Sarah Davenport:

So learning what converts on LinkedIn, what brings the clients in and then converts them into sales. So she did a couple of posts. In her 3rd post, she had 25,000 impressions. She's like, I get this. I'm like, and I need to hire you now because you are nailing this, and this is awesome. So I really had to learn how to scale and let some things go, even in areas that I'm really good at. I just don't have the time. Because at the end of the day, I wanna be an entrepreneur so I can put my family first.

Sarah Davenport:

And if I'm all in, and all I'm doing is working 10 hours a day, it's just what I was doing in TV. So you have to sometimes take, like do a checkup from the neck up. My friend Rita Davenport used to say, do a checkup from the neck up and go, okay, what do I need to do to scale this? And I might have to give up a little bit of control, and that's okay because it's gonna take me to the next level. And who do I need to put in place? And I still work with you on that going, okay, what else do I need to do to be able to maximize this and build it as big as it can be? Because now there are people who can't afford to work with the agency, and I get that. And so for them, that's what we're offering our storytellers experience. So that is a way for them to learn everything that I know and my journalists know of how to write in a way that converts clients.

Sara Davenport:

Mhmm. Or

Sarah Davenport:

how to write in a way that converts into sales. Mhmm. Because if you're in business, the chance of you going out of business is pretty high if you aren't getting in front of new people. Right? And so you teach that through the Lead Gen Academy. Right. Right. Here's how you get in front of them. But sometimes, if you're not a great writer or storyteller, you might be able to get in front of them, but how do you close them? Right.

Sarah Davenport:

Yeah. How how do you actually get the sale? Right. Right. And so that's really what I teach the storytellers experience is how do you close a sale with your own stories? Without being that pushy, weird, hey, so I have this new thing being offered. Like, do you wanna come check it out? Like, that's weird. Nobody wants that. If it feels weird, it is weird. Right? And like you know when you're being sold to.

Sarah Davenport:

I don't wanna be sold to. So I teach them how to write in that way, but I also teach them how to write press releases. A lot of these folks have amazing businesses that need to be seen and heard in a larger scale on on the media, on television, or on radio, or on a podcast. And then we also teach them kind of how to sell from stage, whether you're, you know, in front of a large audience, and then how to handle being in front of the cameras. Like, how are you gonna get invited back? You wanna be an expert at that station. You wanna, oh my gosh, when x y z happens, I gotta call Melissa. Like, Melissa's our go to girl.

Sara Davenport:

Right. But

Sarah Davenport:

wouldn't that be nice? That's free exposure in front of 100 of 1,000, if not millions of people.

Melissa:

Right. So, so good. I love this so much, and I love how multifaceted and evolved, like, your offers and the impact you're making from your own journey from from the beginning. And I love what you said about how, you know, that Google map of when we think back to where you were in the beginning in journalism, and you do the zoom out, the Google map, like God's perspective, And this this journey that you've been on and where you are today, it's it's actually are you not really freaking excited for, like, what's next?

Sarah Davenport:

I can't wait to see what's next. Like, 2 years from now? Yeah. We need to do this again in 2 years. I'm like, do a little check-in and see what it's like because I just know that they're big things, because I know that I can help so many people get their stories out. They have great stories, and they have great businesses. They just are missing that piece where people can see them. How do you get visible?

Melissa:

Right.

Sarah Davenport:

Right? It's that visibility, and it's the visibility, but then how do they connect with your head and heart so they'll come to you Yes. Versus going somewhere else.

Melissa:

Yes. Oh my gosh. So good. Okay. So, Sarah, I have 2 more questions for you. So as you know, being in Elevate 360 or the mastermind, it is a 360 degree approach to business and to life. And, I mean, you started that journey yourself, at home with the newborn

Sara Davenport:

Yeah.

Melissa:

Making that decision that something has to change. But when you think about this year and your commitment to that 360 degree approach, where do you feel like you've transformed the most this year in the 360 approach to business and life?

Sarah Davenport:

That's a great question. Because or you're talking about that pedal to the metal, going all out. That will burn you out again. Yes. Right? And so leaning into even something as simple as breath work.

Sara Davenport:

Mhmm.

Sarah Davenport:

And if you remember, you you may or may not remember, but the first time that Sam, Harper came and did sound bowls and all those things, and I'm laying on the ground, and it's a gorgeous day in Scottsdale. And at the end, people are like, Well, I saw rainbows, and I felt this and that. And I was like, I just finally had a chance to breathe. I don't know if

Sara Davenport:

I saw or felt anything.

Sarah Davenport:

But but I've absolutely now gone a little bit deeper in that going, oh, there is so much. When you take a minute Mhmm. To figure out what's going on from your head to your toes

Sara Davenport:

Mhmm.

Sarah Davenport:

Like, you've gotta take care of it. This is like your machine that's running Yes. This whole operation. You don't wanna be like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz and they pull the curtain back and you're like, oh lord, that's what's back there?

Sara Davenport:

Right, under the hood?

Sarah Davenport:

Yeah. I need to make sure that I'm taking care of myself and my family. I also the 360 approach is that you can build a business and have a happy family life at the same time. You don't have to sacrifice one for the other.

Sara Davenport:

And I

Sarah Davenport:

think a lot of people go all in, they neglect their family, they feel guilty. Then they go all in the family, they neglect their business, and they feel guilty. And it's this circle. And I think the wonderful thing about Elevate 360 is not only do you give us great approaches to handle that through modern entrepreneur, but also the support system of the others who are in there.

Sara Davenport:

Some of

Sarah Davenport:

them that can call you out on your BS. Like, hey, you're you're going kinda hard there. Like, you might wanna take a minute to breathe. And so this summer, I traveled from June 1st through the end of August. I was only in my own bed at home 8 nights. What? Are you serious? We traveled nonstop, and some of it was for kids' sports. We were in Florida. My I've got a son trying to play, collegiate baseball, and so, you know, doing a lot of tournaments all over.

Sarah Davenport:

But that was how I wanted to design my life. And at the end of the day, I think something that I've always had as a mantra, but I've been able to take to the next level, thanks to this E 360 Mastermind, is truly designing a life I love and not a life by default. Because when you're in business, and if you go go go go go go go, all of a sudden you wake up and it's December. That's a life by default. Totally. So is a life by default by getting up at 8 AM, getting to work by 9. 9 to 5, you get home, you eat dinner, you watch ESPN, and you go back to bed. Right? Yeah.

Sarah Davenport:

Like, that's another life by default. But you can also get into that rut as an entrepreneur. Mhmm.

Melissa:

You totally can.

Sarah Davenport:

And be reactionary. How do you what space do you need? Where do you need to give yourself grace also? Mhmm. It's okay if you need to go get a massage, or just walk around the lake ten times and clear your head.

Melissa:

Right? Or lay down and breathe for a minute.

Sarah Davenport:

That's right. That's right. So I remember, I was like, how do you meditate? And you're like, what?

Sara Davenport:

And you're like, what do you

Sarah Davenport:

have in front? Like, what do you do? Meditate? Like, that stuff's so foreign to me. Oh my goodness. So I

Melissa:

remember when he tried yoga for the first time.

Sarah Davenport:

Oh my gosh. And Samana the downward. What?

Sara Davenport:

What am I doing here?

Sarah Davenport:

My my whole body's all contorted, and it was so fun of my life.

Melissa:

Because you're an Enneagram 3.

Sarah Davenport:

I am.

Melissa:

Mhmm. Which is like go go go. Yeah. Like, performative.

Sarah Davenport:

Mhmm.

Melissa:

Like perform perform perform win win.

Sarah Davenport:

And don't take a minute to breathe. Yeah. Yeah. And so I've been able to learn how to do that. And therefore, the everything always works out for me is the mantra that has kinda come through that going, yes. It's going to be okay. God's got the Google Zoom. It is going to work out.

Sarah Davenport:

Maybe I don't see it working out today or even in a week or a month. But in the end, I'm gonna be able to look back and go, it did work out. I gotta trust the process. And I gotta enjoy the journey. Yes. I used to hate that phrase. I'm like, I'm not enjoying the journey. I just need to get there.

Sara Davenport:

Right.

Sarah Davenport:

No. Slow down and enjoy it.

Melissa:

It's kinda like quit white knuckling the steering wheel and, like, Jesus, take the wheel. Right?

Sarah Davenport:

Totally. Totally.

Melissa:

Love this so much. Okay. So, Sarah, so much genius in today, and you also have a lot of service that people can really lean into and learn to work with you. So what, what resources do you have that people can grab, or how could people connect with you? Like, what do you have going on?

Sarah Davenport:

So as far as storytelling goes, I really feel that everyone needs I've got a little top ten list of ways to connect with your audience. Just the basics that you may not even think about. But you need to dial down and figure out what makes you so unique. Like, what is it about you? Not just what you offer, but you. What makes you unique? What kind of stories have you had in the past that maybe others can relate to?

Sara Davenport:

Mhmm.

Sarah Davenport:

Right? Mhmm.

Sara Davenport:

That

Sarah Davenport:

would bring in your ideal client. So I have a top ten list that I really think is so important for anyone who wants to use social media to get their business in front of others.

Sara Davenport:

Mhmm.

Sarah Davenport:

And so then I also have my full storyteller's experience. People wanna go through that and have me hold your hand teaching you how to write these things and editing some of your content for you, showing you just the greatness that you have in your business, but you just need to tell it in a way that it connects with others through stories. And then, of course, my agency. So if you're like, I love all this. I have no time to do this myself. Hands off. Done for you. Check.

Sarah Davenport:

Like, if you can do all that for me and bring the clients to me, fantastic. And then that's what we do. As as journalists, with my whole team of journalists, we dig in and we work for you to bring them, bring you the clients, bring you the sales that you need.

Melissa:

Yeah. So powerful. So where specifically can people find you, connect with you?

Sarah Davenport:

Everything I do is all under one big umbrella, sarahdavenport.net. It's just, you know, you can kinda choose your own adventure depending on what you are. And when you're a journalist, you can go one place. If you're a new entrepreneur, you can go someplace else and experienced. Yeah. There's another place as well.

Sara Davenport:

You know

Melissa:

what I love about this? And I know we're wrapping up the show, but we haven't really talked about this today. But this underscores the beauty of having multiple avatars, ideal clients, and different offers, and still being wildly successful in different swim lanes at the same time. You've been able to do that.

Sarah Davenport:

I was nervous as all get out to do that. Because if you remember, I'm like, well, I'm only talking to my TV people here. How can I talk to my entrepreneurs? It can be done. Yep. It can. Yep. And I really was like, no. But I I'm so thankful that I went down that route.

Sarah Davenport:

It's been so much fun.

Melissa:

Yes. And now you have this, like, purpose driven mission to help your fellow news anchors in, like, the, you know, the TV realm, but also now even a broader impact with a larger audience in the entrepreneurial space. It's like you get to do both.

Sara Davenport:

I get

Sarah Davenport:

to do I seriously have my cake and eat it too. Yes. I mean, I love it, And I love digging in and hearing the stories of the TV anchors and reporters, because I get it. I was that person, and I know how to get out. And I know that there's a great life for them, or they'll love Mondays. Like, for me, and I don't know if anyone else as an entrepreneur feels this, but when my feet hit the floor on a Monday, I'm like, TGIM. Like, woah. Let's go.

Sarah Davenport:

Like, I love Mondays. Whoever says they love Mondays, I say I love Mondays. And I'm so thankful for this journey and this business and all these things that have come to me because I took that first step.

Sara Davenport:

Yes.

Sarah Davenport:

And I said, I'm gonna invest in myself. And then I'm gonna go to this crazy conference in the middle of a hurricane with a fire. Like, I'm gonna do all these things because I I don't know what God's got planned, but I'm just gonna follow these steps. And I'm gonna go to McDowell or whatever it was avenue, and we're gonna figure it out. Right? And so that's where my encouragement to others would be is if there's something that there's a tug in your heart right now going, but should I? Should I take the next step? I have been thinking about it. But oh, the money, the this, that. You can talk yourself out of anything. Trust me.

Sarah Davenport:

I talk myself out of going to the gym all the time. Right? You're good at always going. I'm like, You can talk yourself out of anything. But when this is something that could truly impact not just your bottom line and your bank account, but family and then as well, you gotta do it. This is for entrepreneurs, we have business ideas that could truly change so many people's lives, and we never do it because we doubt ourselves. We don't believe in ourselves. So if you're listening right now, borrow my belief. Yeah.

Sarah Davenport:

Borrow my belief, because I know that so many people can be impacted by ideas that you have and things you wanna do. You're too scared to go do it? Get on the plane and fly to Charlotte. Go and invest in that. You're going to be so thankful that you did. Mhmm. And I'm forever ever grateful, Melissa. I am.

Melissa:

Aw. I was right back at you, my friend. As we're sitting here in this interview, I'm thinking about, like, the growth of our relationship, and it is a symbiotic relationship. It's been so fun to mentor you and see your growth, but you also have provided so much value and impact to me and our our community with starting with the on camera coaching inside the academy, being a coach inside of, the lead gen academy to your your really your mentorship inside of the mastermind, and the support that you've been able to bring our clients who are at a place specifically at at really needing to hire because their leads they've got lots of leads on LinkedIn, but they need to focus on their business. And they're like, I need a legitimate agency. I need an agency who can help me, and I've never had confidence with any other LinkedIn agency. I've never been able to refer clients because they just don't get it. They don't get it.

Melissa:

Yeah. And you have nailed it. And so

Sarah Davenport:

Thank you.

Melissa:

To so to me, I say thank you, because the feeling's mutual.

Sara Davenport:

Well, it's

Sarah Davenport:

been such an amazing journey. And like I said, we need to do this again in 2 years and just see who we both are.

Melissa:

Now and then.

Sarah Davenport:

Yeah. In the wild.

Melissa:

Yes. Totally. Well, Sarah, thank you so much for flying in to Charlotte and doing this live. I know you've got a lot going on with your kiddos, and I just I really appreciate you, and it was just so fun just to kinda dive in today and reflect on your journey. How are you celebrating your first half million?

Sarah Davenport:

Oh, gosh. You always say that. Okay. We haven't hit that yet. So maybe in December, we'll we'll yeah. I need to plan it, but travel's my love language, so I think someplace exotic and fun. Like, I have lots of pictures of where I'd love to go, the old dream board style. So I think I think someplace fabulous.

Melissa:

Yes. I love that. Let me know what you decide. I will. Okay? Awesome. Well, thank you.

Sarah Davenport:

Thank you.

Melissa:

Alright. See you in October. Yes. Alright. Yay. That was awesome, Sarah.

Sarah Davenport:

Good.

Melissa:

How fun. Like, what a journey.

Sarah Davenport:

It truly it is I mean, it's wild when you, like Yeah. Think about it and look at it.

Melissa:

Yeah. Hey. It is. And you've, like, you've, like, sat in on all of these. How wild is it that every this couldn't have been scripted? Like, I cannot like, every single one of you, I've asked you to reflect on the e 360, like, approach. Uh-huh. And every single one of you has said slowing down, like, breathing, creating space. Like, every single one of you said the same fucking

Sarah Davenport:

thing. Modern entrepreneur fitness because Yeah. It I honestly think there could be more. Yeah. Or at least I mean, you have it out there, but more pushing us to that.

Sara Davenport:

Yes.

Melissa:

Yeah. That's my goal here.

Sarah Davenport:

Yeah.

Melissa:

Yeah. This this has been very confirming for me, this week this week with you guys and, like, the recurring theme. And even in our networking event on Monday, so many people took themselves off my like, on off of mute and talked about how transformational the inner work has been that I'm like, wow. This is, like, again, another sign

Sara Davenport:

It is.

Melissa:

Yeah. Of, like, what we're doing next year. So good. I'm gonna you're welcome to pop out, but I'm gonna record a quick intro for you so I just have it. And I'll be all

Sarah Davenport:

over just a second. That seat.

Sara Davenport:

I can't believe you sat in

Melissa:

that same position the whole time. Know.

Sarah Davenport:

It's from all the years of TV. Can't move behind set.

Sara Davenport:

Oh my god. Okay. Yeah. Absolutely.

Melissa:

Is it still recording? Yes. Okay. Awesome.

Sara Davenport:

Are we ready?

Melissa:

Alright, guys. Coming back at you with an inspirational interview from an e 360 Elevate 360 Mastermind member today with Sarah Davenport. Her interview and reflection of her growth over the last 2 years, is just absolutely inspirational. If you're an entrepreneur who's still, like, trying to figure out your offer, trying to figure out what it is you want to sell. I hope that this story with Sarah and how she has gone from idea to half a $1,000,000 year in less than 2 years in the online space. I hope this story inspires you that if you listen to some of the strategies she has taken, that takes initiative, it takes drive, it takes showing up, that also takes the ability to tell your story online in order to generate and scale an online business at the pace at which she has. You are really gonna want to listen in to a lot of the strategies that she's been able to institute to really be a disruptor in the industry and break a lot of, trends, if you will, and become a multiple 6 figure earner in the online space in liter less than 2 years. So I hope you guys enjoy this episode.

Melissa:

She speaks to, moments of burnout, as a news anchor and her evolution of multiple offs and, different businesses that she's running to this day within 2 years of being able to have multiple, what we call avatar avatars or multiple multiple buyer personas. So, also, if you're in a realm of having multiple buyer personas and different offers, you're gonna wanna listen in on how Sarah's been able to hone in and create niche products and offerings for different audiences and be wildly successful in doing so, all with the some the same social media account with the power of LinkedIn. So I hope you guys really enjoy this episode.

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