Shownotes
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Check out Back Pocket Insights, my private podcast community with short, story-driven episodes pulled straight from everyday life and client conversations.
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Let’s talk about something that could save you thousands of dollars and hours of frustration: doing your research before you invest. Too many service providers are making impulsive business decisions based on hype, FOMO, or what looks popular online, and then wonder why the experience doesn’t match the promise.
In this episode of The Real Truth About Business, Michelle shares an unfiltered message about taking radical responsibility for your investments. From masterminds and memberships to courses and collaborations, she breaks down why “cart closing soon” urgency tactics can cloud your judgment, how to spot red flags, and what it really means to make decisions like a CEO. This episode is your wake-up call to slow down, ask questions, and trust your gut.
Whether you’re a coach, consultant, OBM, VA, designer, copywriter, or ADHD entrepreneur, this episode will help you move from impulsive decisions to intentional strategy so you can protect your time, energy, and money.
You’ll learn:
- Why “open cart” and “limited time” offers aren’t always what they seem
- How to research programs and communities before you invest
- The questions to ask past members or clients for real feedback
- How to recognize when timing—not the offer—is the problem
- Why radical responsibility is the foundation of smart business growth
This is the real truth about business growth, especially for neurodivergent service providers who crave clarity, structure, and results without falling for every trend online.
Links referenced in this episode:
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Here's your Next Steps:
- Take the "Where's the Gap in Your Business Strategy" Quiz
- Connect with Michelle on LinkedIn, Instagram, Threads or Facebook
- Visit my website to learn more and apply for the Focused Visionary Accelerator
- Sign up for my newsletter - Sunday Morning Brew - delivered every Sunday at 6 am
About the Host:
Michelle DeNio is a business strategist and growth advisor for service-based entrepreneurs, especially neurodivergent and ADHD business owners. Creator of the Focused Visionary Accelerator and host of The Real Truth About Business podcast, she helps clients simplify, focus, and grow sustainably. With 15+ years in business operations, she’s known for turning big ideas into simple, profitable action plans.
Transcripts
Hi there.
Speaker A:Good morning, good evening, good afternoon.
Speaker A:I have an Impulsive Thought episode for you today.
Speaker A:It was not the episode that I had planned, but it's something that's on my mind and it's really important.
Speaker A:And I was thinking about just recording it for Back Pocket Insights, and then I thought, no, the collective, like, everybody needs to hear this.
Speaker A:Although just a little plug before we dive in.
Speaker A:Like, did you even know that I have a private podcast?
Speaker A:Did you even know that it's part of Back Pocket Insights?
Speaker A:My community is, like, where I would typically share these really random, impulsive thoughts that are strategies and things to watch out for and things to look for and just things that I'm seeing in the space that are like, in the moment and you need to know about them.
Speaker A:So anyways, Back pocket insights, it's 11 bucks a month.
Speaker A:It includes a private podcast and I should tell you guys about it, and I don't.
Speaker A:But anyway, let's dive in to what I want to talk about today.
Speaker A:And today I really want to talk about doing your research.
Speaker A:Doing your research before investing your time or your money.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:And I'm talking like big time research.
Speaker A:Like, go talk to people.
Speaker A:Okay, we are.
Speaker A:And I'm going to give you why.
Speaker A:I'm going to tell you why this is so prevalent for me right now and why I wanted to chat about it.
Speaker A:So little backstory real fast is I have been craving joining another community that I can be a part of, that I can immerse myself into.
Speaker A:I'm always like, that is something that I reflect on in my year end business planning, which, hint, hint, if you haven't done it yet and you haven't signed up for, reflect, refine, reignite, go ahead and do that link in the show notes.
Speaker A:That's two calls to action I've given you in one episode and we're not even two minutes in.
Speaker A:This is, It's.
Speaker A:I'm just in, I'm in a mood today.
Speaker A:But you're going to keep rolling with me because this is a very important episode.
Speaker A:All right?
Speaker A:So anyways, I've been it.
Speaker A:This truly is going to save you thousands of dollars.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:I have been in this mode of like wanting to join a community, right?
Speaker A:So I've been.
Speaker A:I always dive into a community and when I do, I love it.
Speaker A:I gain clients from it.
Speaker A:I build beautiful relationships from it, get great collaborations.
Speaker A:I send people referrals.
Speaker A:Like, I'm, you know, I'm a power connector.
Speaker A:I love to do that.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:And so, you know, I've Been a part of the Wise Women community.
Speaker A:I've mentioned this one before and I still am going to be a part of the Wise Women community.
Speaker A:But again, like, I'm also a big fan and I tell all clients, like, you need to be expanding your circles, right?
Speaker A:Not that Wise Women isn't growing.
Speaker A:It is, it's massively growing.
Speaker A:But I need to expand my circle a little bit, right?
Speaker A:And so I want to get in front of new audiences.
Speaker A:And so, like, several years ago, I was in the advance, which a lot of you listening to this podcast.
Speaker A:We met in the advance, right?
Speaker A:Like, this is another reason why you get into communities.
Speaker A:And I just miss the advance.
Speaker A:But again, so I've been really looking for communities and there's a lot that get recommended.
Speaker A:And there's one particular one that, that my coach last year recommended to me actually, and I went to the.
Speaker A:I went to their little open house.
Speaker A:They only open the doors once a month, once a year, which.
Speaker A:And it's always in like November ish time, which I hate, because I'm like, not in a position where I feel like I want to make decisions.
Speaker A:Like November, December are very reflective, very inner for me.
Speaker A:Like, I don't want to be making decisions.
Speaker A:And so I hate that it's like only open enrollment during that time.
Speaker A:But anyways, I went to the open house last year.
Speaker A:I decided it wasn't for me, but then it came up again.
Speaker A:There was a couple other people that I follow on Instagram that were attending their, like, year end retreat.
Speaker A:And I was like, oh, I didn't know XYZ person was in there.
Speaker A:I didn't know XYZ was, you know, So I was seeing all of these people, like, oh my gosh, I didn't realize they were all in this community.
Speaker A:And so I started to reach out and was like, hey, I didn't realize you were here.
Speaker A:I looked into it last year.
Speaker A:I chose not to join.
Speaker A:But I'm super curious to hear your experience.
Speaker A:I see that doors are opening up now.
Speaker A:This is a big investment, this community.
Speaker A:It's not like, it's not like a mat, like, but it's like five grand, right?
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:But this is so relevant for.
Speaker A:In so many ways.
Speaker A:Okay, so whatever, it's $5,000.
Speaker A:Anyway, so I started doing some research and I got like, yeah, this is what I.
Speaker A:This is why I joined.
Speaker A:This is what I gained from it.
Speaker A:But I also got like, but I'm not staying in.
Speaker A:And I'm like, okay.
Speaker A:Which I thought is really interesting.
Speaker A:And so anyways, so, anyway, I just decided to start doing some other research because I'm like, you know what?
Speaker A:I want to see what else is out there.
Speaker A:And so I put a post up on multiple different platforms on social media, and was like, hey, looking for a community.
Speaker A:Here are a few that have been recommended to me because there's been multiple ones that have been recommended to me that get really great reviews.
Speaker A:And I ended up getting, like, tons of dms, tons of comments.
Speaker A:I had people sending me, like, a message like, hey, if you're truly considering this, let me know.
Speaker A:I had people tagging other people that I knew, and so I was, like, reaching out to them, and I asked, like, hey, tell me about this.
Speaker A:Tell me about your.
Speaker A:Your investment.
Speaker A:Do you feel like it was worth it?
Speaker A:I'm telling you, like, there's so much power in this, in just asking and doing your research.
Speaker A:And this happened to me earlier this year, too, is I was getting ready to invest into this summit.
Speaker A:There was this massive summit.
Speaker A:This woman posts about on threads, and you apply, and then it was like, yay, you got picked.
Speaker A:And it's like, supposedly this huge virtual summit, 5,000 people, blah, blah, blah.
Speaker A:And then.
Speaker A:But in order to move to the next step, you had to pay.
Speaker A:And I'm not opposed to paying, because I understand, understand.
Speaker A:She's trying to see who's serious.
Speaker A:Like, are you serious enough to pay?
Speaker A:And, like, you got things in exchange for it.
Speaker A:But I also.
Speaker A:She had a, like, note in the bottom that was like, reach out to our past guests and see and get their experience.
Speaker A:And so I did.
Speaker A:I was like, you know what?
Speaker A:I don't know.
Speaker A:There's something about this.
Speaker A:And I'm also learning, you know, again, I'm human design generator, sacral generator.
Speaker A:So my gut, I'm really, really in tune to it.
Speaker A:And, like.
Speaker A:But in both of these scenarios, my gut is kind of like, something feels off here.
Speaker A:But in past, I haven't.
Speaker A:I have listened, okay?
Speaker A:In both of these scenarios, I had people tell me, it is not worth your time and money, okay?
Speaker A:And so honesty is.
Speaker A:So people are honest, right?
Speaker A:We have had so many negative experiences.
Speaker A:Every single one of us, every person listening to this podcast has had some negative experience where you invested into something because you heard it was amazing.
Speaker A:And then you get in and it's like, what the.
Speaker A:What is this?
Speaker A:This is not what I thought it was going to be.
Speaker A:This is not what was promised.
Speaker A:Whatever.
Speaker A:And so just taking the moment, here's the point, okay?
Speaker A:Take the time to do the research.
Speaker A:And I don't really care that cart is closing.
Speaker A:I don't care about this open cart.
Speaker A:There is a reason why there that psychology works.
Speaker A:The open cart, closed cart is because it gets people to make impulsive decisions.
Speaker A:It gets people to make a decision that they're not necessarily ready to make, because if they don't make the decision now, they have to wait a year.
Speaker A:Okay, now there are so many people that do open cart, closed cart, well, but there are so many people use it that use it for that reason that it's like, I'm going to create this massive fomo and I don't want people to feel like they're missing out.
Speaker A:And so they're going to join now, even though they might not want to join right now, even though they might not feel like now's the right time for them, but they also think, well, what if I want to join it in three months?
Speaker A:And I can tell you, I've been here, done this.
Speaker A:Like, I've done the things, I bought the programs, I've been in it.
Speaker A:And it's like, now's not the right time, but I don't want to wait a year.
Speaker A:And I'm telling you, like, 90% of the time, it doesn't work out.
Speaker A:Like, the timing isn't right.
Speaker A:There's a reason why the timing is not right.
Speaker A: or: Speaker A:I want you to just pause.
Speaker A:I want you to do a little bit of research.
Speaker A:Google things, just ask for reviews.
Speaker A:There's tons of reviews on Reddit.
Speaker A:I don't know if you, you guys have ever gone and looked at reviews on Reddit, but there's so many reviews.
Speaker A:Just about everything and anything is.
Speaker A:Is reviewed on, on Reddit.
Speaker A:And if you just Google like reviews for X, Y, Z, you're going to get, you'll get the real answers.
Speaker A:Okay?
Speaker A:Obviously they're going to put the best reviews on their sales page.
Speaker A:Of course we do.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:But you can also, most of the time, you're buying into something or you're getting interested in something because somebody else, you know, is either talked about it or giving you their experience with it.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:Like I'm talking about wise women right now.
Speaker A:Like, if you are thinking about joining wise women, come talk to me about it and I will tell you.
Speaker A:I will tell you exactly what you want to hear.
Speaker A:I will answer all of your questions, right?
Speaker A:Like, I There's no gatekeeping here.
Speaker A:When somebody wants to hire me, I'm like, go talk to my people.
Speaker A:Now, of course, am I going to send you to, to a client that had a negative experience?
Speaker A:Although honestly I was thinking about that before I recorded this.
Speaker A:Like, I don't feel like I can count on maybe one hand in nine years how many clients I feel like have had a negative experience.
Speaker A:And in all honesty, it wasn't a lot of.
Speaker A:It wasn't me.
Speaker A:It was like they were not ready.
Speaker A:But I will own the responsibility of like, maybe I should have been a little bit more firm with them to say, like, you're not ready.
Speaker A:Now's not the right time.
Speaker A:But again, we all learn and grow.
Speaker A:Okay?
Speaker A:So, but I will tell you, like, go talk to my people, go ask the questions.
Speaker A:I had somebody do this.
Speaker A:She went and talked to my, a couple of my clients and she asked her questions and based on their answers, she decided not to say yes.
Speaker A:And not that they gave her the wrong answers, but it was like the questions that she asked and what she was hoping to get out of something was not what she was looking for right now in what I was offering.
Speaker A:And so she chose to say no.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:And so it's so powerful because that is how you make educated decisions.
Speaker A:That is how you make, make good investments.
Speaker A:Okay?
Speaker A:So don't let this open cart, close cart.
Speaker A:Let me tell you something.
Speaker A:If somebody's going to close the cart and honestly keep you out, there's something else out there that is meant for you, right?
Speaker A:Like, there's so many communities.
Speaker A:When I put up that post about communities, I can't even tell you how many I have to look into at this point.
Speaker A:So again, like, even though one might be the popular thing, and this goes with group programs, communities, masterminds, coaching, it doesn't matter.
Speaker A:Like, even though there might be somebody out there that looks popular or the program is popular and everybody's jumping on the bandwagon, like, that doesn't necessarily mean it's the best thing out there.
Speaker A:Okay?
Speaker A:And so just taking the time to do your research could save you so much of your time, your energy and your money.
Speaker A:Okay?
Speaker A:Because again, like one of that one thing that I was looking into, it wasn't just like a big investment, it was a 12 month commitment.
Speaker A:Like 12 months.
Speaker A:And I gotta be honest, like, that was one of the biggest hesitations I had is that I've got commitment fobe.
Speaker A:I'm not gonna lie about it.
Speaker A:Like, I have a phobia of having to commit to something, especially something I've never experienced.
Speaker A:I don't care that I know people in it.
Speaker A:I personally have never experienced it.
Speaker A:I've never experienced the person hosting it.
Speaker A:I've never experienced what it looks like, aside from a little open house, which to me, of course, everybody's on their best behavior in an open house.
Speaker A:It doesn't necessarily give me an example of what it is.
Speaker A:And so I don't want to commit to something that I don't know the host, I don't know the.
Speaker A:I know some of the people in it.
Speaker A:I'm not necessarily convinced that I want to commit for 12 months.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:And I respect that.
Speaker A:I respect that on the receiving end as a coach, as somebody who's creating programs, and I also respect that as somebody who's buying.
Speaker A:And so I want you to just really think about this, like, every single investment you are about to make, even into my programs, if you're investing into my programs, if you're looking into the missing piece or even Back pocket insights, it's $11 a month.
Speaker A:I mean, do you really need to do a ton of research for 11 bucks a month?
Speaker A:No.
Speaker A:Like, let's just be real.
Speaker A:And it's month to month.
Speaker A:Like, get in, like, $11 is, you know, two coffees.
Speaker A:It's not a big deal.
Speaker A:But even, like, the missing piece is $600, even though the price.
Speaker A:I'm giving you a heads up right now.
Speaker A:Nobody knows this price is going up, but it'll be, you know, still a really affordable investment.
Speaker A:But, you know, like, do your research on it.
Speaker A:Like, even if it's $600, even if it's $1,000, even if it's $2,000, right?
Speaker A:Like, do your research on it and make sure it is a good fit for you right now.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:And get people's experience in it.
Speaker A:I just think vulnerability and, like, transparency is so huge right now.
Speaker A:Transparency is number one for me.
Speaker A:And I will ask people until I.
Speaker A:Until I get, like, I.
Speaker A:There's another group.
Speaker A:So I want to give you the flip side, too.
Speaker A:Like, yes, in that one group, I was like, I got enough information to say, like, hey, I would not do it.
Speaker A:But there's also other groups that people have raved about to me, right?
Speaker A:Like, they got tagged.
Speaker A:I asked them.
Speaker A:She's like, it's been wonderful.
Speaker A:I really like this.
Speaker A:Here's in, like, I talked to people that I know, and she was like, here's what I know about you, Michelle, and here's why I think it would be a good fit for You.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:So, like, there's.
Speaker A:I've also gotten really great credibility around another program or another group I didn't even know existed, and I would have never even looked into it had I not asked for that feedback.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:So it's just.
Speaker A:I cannot stress it enough.
Speaker A:Do your research.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:This is about taking what I'm calling radical responsibility.
Speaker A: Like,: Speaker A:I will record another episode on that.
Speaker A:But again, this is like, you don't get to make.
Speaker A:Not do your research, invest into something, and then be mad that it's not the way you wanted it.
Speaker A:Like, that's what I'm talking about here is like, did you do the research?
Speaker A:Did you take responsibility and do the research and ask the questions and really get an understanding of what it was that you were investing into before you said yes, so that you weren't disappointed?
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Like, did you take responsibility for that, or did you make an impulsive decision?
Speaker A:And I'm not saying that we're not all making, like, I am the queen of impulsive decisions, but most of the time.
Speaker A:I mean, most of the time they go well for me.
Speaker A:But also, I've really learned when it comes to investing, especially in business pulse decisions don't usually work out.
Speaker A:That's just what I've experienced.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:So I really take the responsibility and do your research.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:It can maybe slow things down.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:Maybe you miss the closed cart window.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:Maybe you'll have to find something else.
Speaker A:But you can do this, right?
Speaker A:Like, if the closed cart window is open, usually the cart is open long enough that you can go and talk to people.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:You can go and talk to people and people that have really solid programs.
Speaker A:Like, it's not hard to find the people.
Speaker A:It's not hard to find the people because the people are also boasting about it.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Like, they're also talking about it.
Speaker A:They're also sharing about it.
Speaker A:So it's not that hard.
Speaker A:And yes.
Speaker A:So again, social credibility goes a long way.
Speaker A:But it even still likes.
Speaker A:I'm gonna give you just another flip side of this.
Speaker A:I have somebody who, back in 19, we did, like, a swap, a Power hour swap.
Speaker A: One Power Hour swap, back in: Speaker A:Because we were in a community together, and we were just kind of, like, experiencing each other's services so that we could refer each other, and it was like a testimonial swap.
Speaker A:Well, I gave her a testimony.
Speaker A:This is five years ago, maybe.
Speaker A:No, we're going on, like, six years.
Speaker A:Six years ago.
Speaker A:Now that I'm Looking at six going on seven years, she's still uses my testimonial from seven years ago in her marketing.
Speaker A:Today.
Speaker A:She actually just sent me an text like a DM and was like, hey, can you take the testimonial you wrote for me and copy and paste it into Google?
Speaker A:Because I'm updating my new Google business.
Speaker A:I'm like, hell no.
Speaker A:Like, I haven't worked with you in seven years and we work together on one thing.
Speaker A:Like, absolutely freaking not.
Speaker A:So again, like, a lot of people just have no etiquette when it comes to their testimonials either.
Speaker A:Like, some of those testimonials and that social proof you're seeing on sites are old.
Speaker A:Those people are not even still associated.
Speaker A:And like, unfortunately, I don't know how much there you can even do about that, right?
Speaker A:Like, I don't know that unless somebody asks you point blank to take it down.
Speaker A:Like, but, like, I have a testimonial release.
Speaker A:I do ask for a release on testimonials and I, you know, people sign it and if they don't sign it, I don't use their testimonial.
Speaker A:But again, like, I mean, I could specifically say to her, like, please stop using my testimonial.
Speaker A:But she still has it.
Speaker A:You know what I mean?
Speaker A:And I can't dictate all the places.
Speaker A:I can't go honestly research all the places that she's used it.
Speaker A:So that's what I'm saying.
Speaker A:Like, go find the people that are currently in it.
Speaker A:Do not just take screenshots and testimonials like on, on a sales page verbatim, because you don't even know if those people are still associated, right?
Speaker A:So take the responsibility before you say yes to investing.
Speaker A:Save yourself the time, save yourself the energy, save yourself the disappointment, right?
Speaker A:Because could I have joined that community and made it worthwhile?
Speaker A:Could I have gotten out of it what I wanted?
Speaker A:Maybe, right?
Speaker A:Would I have been disappointed?
Speaker A:Probably.
Speaker A:Like, I made an impulsive decision last year.
Speaker A:Here's another really great example.
Speaker A:This time last year, I bought into another community that was also being promoted by one of the same woman on Instagram.
Speaker A:And I joined it because I was like, she's legit.
Speaker A:I like her.
Speaker A:If she's backing something, I'm gonna trust that because, like, I really like her as a human and I think she's a really credible businesswoman.
Speaker A:So I'm gonna take it.
Speaker A:And then I joined and then we were talking about it and she was like, oh, my gosh, I wish you would have asked me about it.
Speaker A:Because I would have told you differently had you, you know, like, I was promoting that a year and a half ago and they made a ton of changes and I'm not on board with the changes.
Speaker A:And I've been so disappointed.
Speaker A:And so, like, I paid not a ton of money.
Speaker A:It wasn't like a ton of money, but it was like, I would not have joined, right?
Speaker A:Like, if I had gotten that feedback, I would not have said yes.
Speaker A:And so again, lesson learned.
Speaker A:I mean, it's not like I haven't gotten anything from that community that I joined.
Speaker A:I have, but I'm super disappointed in it and I'm actually done with it.
Speaker A:Like, I'm actually probably gonna leave the group and all the things just because it's like, not worth my time and energy at this point.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker A:Yeah, so again, that's what I mean by like, just really having those conversations.
Speaker A:And you may have to have, like, you may have to reach out to multiple people, right?
Speaker A:Like, not everybody's gonna be willing to answer those questions.
Speaker A:Not everybody's gonna be willing to share their experience.
Speaker A:So, like, talk to more than one person too, right?
Speaker A:Like, I got a raving review on one from one community, from somebody I do really know, like, and trust.
Speaker A:Like, I really value her opinion and she was super honest with me about it.
Speaker A:But there's somebody else in that community too.
Speaker A:And you bet your ass I'm gonna go ask her and see if I get the same raving review, right?
Speaker A:Because I want different perspectives.
Speaker A:Everybody has different perspectives on, like, what they're gaining from it, what they're viewing from it, like, how it's treating them.
Speaker A:And I just think that that is super, super freaking important.
Speaker A:Take this for what it is.
Speaker A:Hopefully this was helpful for you.
Speaker A:It's something that is really, it's super top of mind.
Speaker A:And I just wanted to record this episode because I think it's.
Speaker A:It's something that you really need to consider doing more of.
Speaker A:I don't know that.
Speaker A:And I just think this is going to be the way of the world right now, right?
Speaker A:Like, you have to do your research because there's so much AI, there's so many like, again, bad testimonials, old test.
Speaker A:There's just so much.
Speaker A:And because everything's so computer generated and we're behind screens and we're not getting that like, in person vibe of people.
Speaker A:You gotta do your research, do your research, own the responsibility.
Speaker A:And if you don't do the research, own the responsibility of the expectation.
Speaker A:Own the responsibility of the results.
Speaker A:Okay, I'll talk to you soon.
Speaker A:I believe in you.
Speaker A:I love you.
Speaker A:I'll talk to you soon.
