Life and Work with Jessica Daniels

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Daniels.

Jessica, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I was 22 when I opened my first business. And I’ll be honest; it didn’t end up the way I would’ve liked. I took on the roles of administrator, accountant, human resources, marketing director, inventory manager and a thousand other things. I learned a lot on the fly. I made good hires and plenty of bad ones. I developed great client relationships and had many repeat customers and referrals, but I also left some people dissatisfied. I got creative and did some out-of-the-box marketing and networking ideas, some of which worked and some of which did not. My husband helped me a ton, but he had a business of his own to run, and I took the pressure of succeeding on myself. I tried to do it alone. And I failed. I made a lot of money upfront but ultimately ended up selling the business at a loss. It was one of the most challenging times of my life. And while I have an amazing, supportive family and husband, I cannot tell you how alone I felt when it all came crashing down.

Fast forward many years later; I now own three different businesses that are thriving. I couldn’t be more proud of when I’ve been able to accomplish in my career. But I also know that the stage has been set very differently the second time around. I knew the second time that I needed to form connections with other business owners, other women who were forward-thinking, proactive and hard-working. So I tried a lot of different things. I went to a women’s social group. I went to BNI groups… Three of them. I went to a group that had just formed in town that consisted only of women who were in business for themselves. This one seemed like a perfect fit in theory. But every single group fell short in a very palpable and discouraging way.

Every time I joined a new group, and there were groups of many kinds, I found one underlying theme that was so prevalent and obvious I could physically feel it from the parking lot. People were there for themselves. I would be approached almost instantaneously by the lender in the group. I’m a real estate agent and I have nothing against lenders. I totally understand that they need realtors to give them referrals, as it’s the lifeblood of their business. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. But I was approached by the lender in the group only because of what I had to give them. They weren’t worried about how they could help me. They weren’t thinking about the fact that they were in business for ten years and I was brand new and therefore maybe they would have some insight to part with and help me grow. They were only concerned about getting referrals. I would notice that that same lender would not go approach the person who is a massage therapist or a Rodan and Fields consultant or a veterinarian. Those people don’t give the lender referrals.

They WERE in it to find success and really only for themselves. It was a dynamic I saw time and time again. And let’s call this out for what it is. I will be honest. I was no better. I sought to promote my business and become successful in business and in networking. I was really no different. I was seeking avenues to generate consistent referral streams by way of networking. And it wasn’t working. I’d leave feeling cheap, used and unproductive.

After one such negative experience with networking, I was at lunch one day with a friend who also owned her own business. I vented about my frustration with the inauthenticity of the groups I’d attended. I hadn’t found a connection. I hadn’t found good atmosphere. And I hadn’t received any referrals which was kind of the point. She could relate. She’s not an extrovert and the idea of getting in a room with a bunch of random business owners who may approach her to try to extract leads from her was daunting at best. We decided that day that there had to be a better way and we should just create it.

I knew two other powerhouse, bad-ass businesswomen who would be the perfect fit to partner with us and set out on our own. So I threw out the idea to them and they grabbed a hold of it like a power tool. The four of us began meeting regularly to brainstorm the ideal business utopia. We had been wandering through business independently, each finding successes and wins, but also experiencing losses and failures on our own. So together, we shifted our focus and our mindsets. And we dreamed. And we dreamed big… what if?

What if we created our own group of people…
Who want to give back
Who get excited about watching others thrive
Who, when asked to help out, try to find a way to say yes instead of an excuse to say no
Who serve their community
Who genuinely care about others
Who have a wealth of business knowledge who want to save others from making the mistakes they made themselves
Who value community and camaraderie
Who are cool and can connect with us
Who we have something in common with
Who challenge the status quo in our lives
Who open our eyes to new struggles, customs, perspectives
Who strive to do better with personal development, business acumen and service level
Who we can laugh with, cry with, do life with and feel totally intertwined with
Who are positive
Who are badass, proactive women who are forward-thinking problem solvers
Who come together to focus on what they have to GIVE instead of what they stand to GET

What if we could gather such a group of people together and do business together. Not in the “when are you giving me a referral?” sense but in the “you are so freaking amazing, I want to refer people to YOU” kind of a sense.

What if we created such a band of women and then planned and committed to supporting each other not just with referrals but with our collective brainpower and creativity? What if we banded together to make better use of our time and resources to pour back into the community in which we live? What if we could create a business utopia of women who are honest, positive, supportive and pro-active together? How much more could we accomplish then?

So we did it. We brainstormed. We watched. We paid attention to people as we went about our daily lives in business ourselves. And when we saw other badass women we admired, we invited them to join our tribe in hopes that such a Utopia could be created. And to our great surprise… it worked. With the right expectation-setting, we’ve amassed a group of women committed to the cause. And every week, when I leave a meeting filled with laughter, insight and sometimes even tears, I walk away feeling enlightened, motivated, encouraged and uplifted. There’s always plenty to chew on afterwards… lots of ideas, lots of action items, lots of energy but so much “we’ve got this” attitude that it’s contagious.

We pour in. Every week. We look for opportunities to serve each other, the community around us, our families, our businesses. We host events. We dream big. We laugh. We troubleshoot. We brainstorm marketing plans. We discuss public relations. We agonize about taxes and accounting and legal classifications (Clearly, I’m not the accountant in the group). We socialize and get together for hikes and drinks and movies. We problem-solve. We show up. .Sometimes in pajamas or tears or with a kid in tow. But we show up. We show up for each other.

I can honestly say that I started this group for the selfish reason of wanting to see my business succeed through networking efforts and connection, but what I’ve gained from this is far more influential on my life than the business revenue ever will be. I’ve gained a band of ambassadors for my brand. I’ve inherited a wealth of genuine and truly life-giving friendships with people who are so different from me in so many ways- politically, religiously, sexually, spiritually, you name it- but who are also so similar to me in their resolve to GIVE, to pour in, to improve constantly, to listen, to grow, to succeed. We bond over this desire to create not just businesses that thrive beyond our wildest imaginations (which they do), but to create lives that are meaningful and abundant in every way.

So there you have it. That’s the birth story of this little mission. And it’s a mission that has taken a strong foothold in my heart. I think back to that first business I started alone and immature. Trying so hard to do it all on my own. To hold it together. To create success. And now I shake my head at that girl because success is really never something you achieve on your own. And even if you did, it would be pretty lonely to end up solo. It’s far more meaningful to reach success when you’re linked in arms with others. So many others. Success is best felt when there’s someone to share it with. So, let’s share.

Has it been a smooth road?
There have definitely been challenges along the way and times when I’ve felt alone in the businesses that I’ve created and run, but there have also been so many joyful moments. I’ve found that connection to others and surrounding yourself with people who inspire, challenge and motivate you is really what helps you pull through those challenges intact. When I was younger, I felt like I could almost “muscle my way through” problems and pitfalls, but I’ve learned now to use the sounding board of my “people.” I also think I’ve grown to recognize that there are so many ways to view an obstacle and so many ways to overcome it and I won’t know all of them. Pride has no place in a growth mindset. Getting better sometimes means that you swallow your pride and ask for help.

Please tell us about The Success Collective.
Well. My work is kind of complex… I’m also a Realtor and Custom Home/Renovation Designer. That is my primary business. I help people buy or sell traditional houses, brainstorm large scale renovation plans (like finishing a basement, tearing out walls to renovate a kitchen or do home additions), and design custom homes from scratch. I’m super proud of this work that I do and I absolutely love helping my clients either buy or create the home of their dreams. I’m known for being creative and thinking outside the box, working really, really hard, and problem-solving.

It was this business that set in motion the need for a viable networking tool and platform… thus, The Success Collective. In this capacity, as the CEO of The Success Collective, we specialize in creating just that a networking platform for business owners that’s full of resources and tools to increase camaraderie and support as well as exposure. I’m so proud of the local Colorado Springs Chapter and the amazing accomplishments they’ve already had. I’m also so proud that in just a few short months of launching our national campaign, we’ve already got three new chapters (South Denver, Pueblo and even branching out into a men’s chapter… Colorado Springs-Men’s).

The Success Collective is so different than any other networking organization for the following reasons:

1. We flipped the script. We focus on GIVING as opposed to receiving. Each “catalyst” or member is required to read The Go-Giver, a book about a mindset that we’ve based our networking model on.

2. We provide many strategic tools and exercises to chapter facilitators so that they can truly foster great relationships, host events, and promote their collective businesses.

3. We have a very concentrated effort on pouring back into the community. We believe that everyone wins when you go into life with a “service-oriented” attitude and you seek to help others.

4. We believe that this network you’re creating should really be more like “people you do life with,” as opposed to people you’re just expected to refer.

These differences really make The Success Collective mindset and networking platform more effective and rewarding in the long run.

Who have you been inspired by?
I’m a huge Ellen Degeneres fan. She has endured a lot of discrimination and challenges in life, but she’s just so resilient and positive that it’s contagious. I’m enamored with her grit and her desire to use her influence to spread joy and encourage others to tell the narrative of the inspirational and the beautiful in a time when sensationalism and outrage seem so popular.

I love Rachel Hollis for her honesty and willingness to be vulnerable. She’s broken the barrier for women everywhere who feel the need to appear or be perfect all the time, even when that attempt is futile. I’ve always been so humbled by the story of Helen Keller and her fortitude and determination. It’s truly an example of how you can overcome the impossible. I’ve often thought back to her story in times of trial and given myself a little on-site attitude adjustment. I’m currently reading Marie Forleo and I have a feeling she’ll make the list too. I’m only a couple chapters in, but I love the mindset that problems are just waiting to be solved and excuse-making is for the birds.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.successcollective.org
• Phone: (719)505.6924
• Email: headquarters@successcollective.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesuccesscollectivehq/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesuccesscollectivehq

Image Credit:
Mariana Ziegler Photography

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