You're just like Jennifer Coolidge (I can prove it)

THE REAL DEAL DIGEST

Issue No. 2

I know, those are fighting words.

But it's true. You're just like her. So am I.

Okay okay, fine. So neither you nor I have had an iconic role in Legally Blonde...

Or have gone through a Hollywood renaissance from some incredible acting work in HBO's The White Lotus...

But that's besides the point, ok?

To start drawing parallels, let me ask you a few questions:

#1) How many excuses have you made up this year to avoid that thing you *know* will move the needle forward in your business?

#2) How many little jobs have you said yes to... just to barely squeeze by so you can get to the next one?

#3) How did you start 2024? Was it with big dreams? Did you reach your goals or did they fizzle as the year went on?

Disclaimer: I'm not showing up in your inbox tonight to make you feel bad.

Cross my heart. And just keep reading.

My hope for you is that your answers are nothing like mine. Or Jennifer Coolidge's.

I'll explain, but first...

In today's edition of The Real Deal Digest:

☀️ Why doubting yourself will never go away, even if you're a big movie & TV star

💭 A quick reframe of those questions to end this newsletter on a super-high note

👩🏼‍🏫 Waayyyy too many direct references to The White Lotus

Jennifer Coolidge is such a fan favorite because she's just... herself. Her acceptance speeches are not at all prepared, yet she's endearing because she doesn't try at all to be scripted.

I mean, at least 3,500 YouTubers agree that her authenticity is bad-ass:

I believe Coolidge is so beloved -especially recently- because she has been very open about her struggles in Hollywood.

In between Legally Blonde, American Pie sequels and The White Lotus, she's spent her time thinking she's not good enough for her roles...

She's waited around for people to give her little jobs to get by (her words, not mine)...

And she's said she's watched her big Hollywood dreams fizzle as she got older and her goals weren't coming to fruition.

By the beginning of the 21st century, her confidence was shot.

So in 2020, when director of The White Lotus, Mike White, asked her to play the iconic role of Tanya McQuoid...

She tried making up as many excuses as possible. Including fake partial hip problems.

Mike's response?

....

"Are you afraid?"

Oooof.

She admits: That hit her hard.

She ended up taking the role.

(And thank the heavens because if you've seen The White Lotus, can you IMAGINE that role played by ANYone else??)

That question hits me hard, too. (It always does!)

Here are my real deal answers to the first question I asked above:

Like Jennifer, I was the QUEEN of excuses for the first half of 2024:

"I'm too busy teaching/subbing to send any pitches."

"Nobody is going to want to pay me well for what I offer."

"I still don't know what I'm doing and if I get on a sales call with someone I cold pitch, they'll sniff me out faster than my dog Wilson finds the cheese I 'drop' on the kitchen floor."

The cheese tax collector. Looking for payment.

Yep. I spent the first half of 2024 spinning my wheels, telling myself lies, and drowning in Imposter Syndrome.

It all boiled down to fear. Fear of rejection. Fear of failure. Fear that I'm a complete joke.

Luckily, all those fears disappeared when...

I found the client of my dreams.

My "Mike White", if you will.

This client doesn't realize it, but she helped me change the entire trajectory of my business in 2024.

She was kind. She was a clear communicator. She valued copywriting and knew good copy when she saw it. She saw me as a partner. Her feedback made me blush. In the nicest way possible.

Sometimes, that's all it takes.

Someone who values you, roots for you, and believes in your skillset.

I truly hope you have at least one Mike White in your life, Reader!

(One more disclaimer: I actually have a few.)

Those kind of peeps make all the difference.

They build your confidence so you don't have to take the little jobs to get you by...

Which is like entering an upward spiral towards the light.

You begin to realize that entrepreneurship doesn't necessarily get easier, but you get stronger.

I'm not sure if there's a more beautiful realization than that.

So Reader, let's reframe the questions at the beginning of this email:

1️⃣ What excuse did you finally push through in 2024 to accomplish THE thing you told yourself you couldn't do?

2️⃣ What client did you add to your roster that helped you build confidence and become a better version of your entrepreneurial self?

3️⃣ How are you going to end 2024? You've got 5 weeks to work towards a goal you didn't get to! What are you going to do about it?

Hit reply to tell me what's up! (Your replies remain confidential.)

You may not win 2 Emmys, but I bet you can accomplish some really great things before 2025 is here.

If you don't think that's true, then I have one question for you...

"Are you afraid?"

Wee-hee,

-Rachael

Copywriter, Messaging Strategist, and your #1 Cheerleader

P.S. Did you miss last week's digest about how you're just like Jennifer Coolidge (and I can prove it)? Read it here.

P.P.S. I spent my Marketing Day/Tuesday crafting the skeleton of a new service. It's called a VIP Day, and while I'll be working on the sales page next Tuesday, you can click here to get the gist.

Let's Get Real

👩🏼‍🏫

Bought this new CRM software as I ramp up my business (this is a referral link so if you end up getting it, I'll get some moola and you'll get 30% off):

Discover Honeybook for all your client needs →