The Sales Mistake Most Salon Owners Make – with Tiana Baxter

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She knows how to move people. She knows how to influence people. She knows how to make money.

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[00:00:23] Tiana: that's what I see a lot and I hear a lot, especially 'cause I work with a lot of large teams. Mm. And it's always the owner or the manager saying, "My team aren't selling as well." Mm. I'm like, "Well, it actually starts with how much time are you spending on the sales floor?"

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[00:00:36] Tiana: it's the three Rs. Every single client, give them the three Rs. "Here's my recommendation. Here's the reason why. Here's the result."

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And then she came back and she's like, "Do you know what?" I was like, "It worked?"

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Mm. It's actually when the sale starts.

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[00:01:28] Samara: Hey, man.

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the guest that we have next to us. Same. One of our absolute favorites. Yep. And she's back. Would you like to introduce?

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[00:01:40] Jen: Oh. Why do you do that? Wouldn't you... I thought you were going to. Every time. Okay, so we have our dear friend Tiana Baxter, who has been on the pod before. Um, but I'm so excited about what you are here to speak about today- Yeah, same

which we know could go in any direction, but tell us about Sellar. About Sellar. Yeah.

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[00:02:06] Samara: I think this is so important, 'cause hairdressers- Yeah ... suck at this.

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[00:02:10] Samara: Well, not every hairdresser, but a lot of hairdressers, and it is also really hard as hairdressers.

I think, you know, we can go in and out of flow as we're owners, but it's really hard to get your team to sell-

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[00:02:24] Samara: when they know they need to, and they know that they're actually... It's not selling to just sell and give people things they don't need- Yeah ... but to recommend things that clients need to f- fix problems, and you still have that constant kickback.

I feel like constantly we have, you know, I can't get my staff to sell retail. Yeah. They won't sell retail. How do you get them to sell retail? So instead, we just, like, throw all these, you know, things, "Oh, we'll pay you more," or, "We'll do this," or, "This will be an incentive." But really, it's at the heart of it, they need to know how to sell.

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[00:03:02] Jen: Yeah.

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Mm. So to your point then about team members- Mm ... it all comes from our natural ability is to sell. You know, every communication we're having with someone else, we're al- either trying to convince them of our way of thinking, get them- Mm ... on board. Like, think about your husband, the type of communication you have with them.

But for the people selling, they don't wanna come across as salesy because somewhere along the way, sales got a bad name. Mm. And we know- Yeah ... where it, where it happened. We know how it happened. Mm. Mm. But we're gonna reclaim it. And for me now, being called a sales girl is actually the highest compliment a woman can receive.

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[00:03:45] Tiana: I think, I- I don't want to say it just came from there.

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[00:03:50] Tiana: I would say yes, they have, um... You know, I work with a lot of great network marketing companies- Yeah ... and they definitely don't stand for that. But I think if we look over time- Yes ... to sell s- if, if it's selling in direct response to requiring money- Yes, yeah

so that's the direct exchange, unfortunately, there are people that do do dirty things

with it. Yeah, okay.

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[00:04:11] Tiana: You know, so that's why it got a dirty name.

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[00:04:13] Tiana: Because it really lost its meaning, which is exchanging value.

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[00:04:16] Tiana: And so, and then for women in particular, we've all had experiences that haven't been great.

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[00:04:21] Tiana: I think we can all agree with that, and also we've had great experiences, that we've then put them in this bucket of, oh, if you're a seller- Salesperson, yeah

or if you're a salesperson, you automatically are that person.

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[00:04:31] Tiana: But you're actually not. When you're a salesperson, you are someone, w- when your intentions are right, you know, with the right values and morals behind it, you are someone that can actually help someone achieve their goals. Mm. Have a better marriage, have a better body, have better hair.

Mm. Feel more confident. Like think of all the things-

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[00:04:47] Tiana: just even from hair-

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[00:04:49] Tiana: someone gets to feel when they leave your salon.

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[00:04:52] Tiana: That

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[00:04:55] Samara: No ... I was like, no, I was gonna say something and then I was just like, "Nah, I just need to keep listening."

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My idea around sales was that my dad was, and it feels dirty even saying it- Yeah ... he was a car salesman.

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[00:05:09] Jen: Like, you know, there's this connotation of like, oh.

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[00:05:13] Jen: Yes.

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It's just the, the- Yeah ... the frame was dirty salesman. Mm. And it's because you taught, and this is one thing I steer clear of, I don't teach tactics. Mm. Right? Mm. I teach frameworks, and the reason for that is because then you can sell anything to anyone in any f- uh, facet of business. But as soon as you learn a tactic, your whole thing is trying to overcome the person.

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[00:05:36] Tiana: You're trying to find a way to- Yeah ... manipulate the person. And yes, what you say matters, the way you say it, your body language, all of that plays into it. Mm. But the minute you're looking at that person as someone I have to overcome, someone I have to move in my direction, you are now playing into the energetics of it being dirty sales.

Mm.

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[00:05:55] Tiana: Yeah ... you can come from, and so everything I teach is self-mastered sales. Mm. So it all comes from the state that you are in and the intention that you are in, therefore being able to move your prospect forward towards their goals by overcoming their limiting beliefs. Mm. So it's all about supporting them.

Can

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[00:06:10] Tiana: Anyone can be a seller. That's why this company means so much to me, because it's skill-based. Interesting. So it's, it's not no longer, and, and we see this a lot in particular in the coaching industry, you, people buy off people, so we're clear on that. Yeah. But you tend to have to sell yourself a lot.

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[00:06:26] Tiana: And a lot of people sell themselves, and then people wanna be like them, and then they buy off them, and there's no real skill. Whereas with selling- Yeah ... selling is a skill. It is a life skill, and it is the most valuable money-making skill you can ever learn. Mm. On Earth.

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[00:06:38] Tiana: And so when you learn the skills of how to move someone from this side of the bridge to this side of the bridge, you are actually more valuable in society.

Not a more worthy human. You're already worthy. You're made in God's image. You're already worthy. But you become more valuable in every- Mm ... like think about your staff.

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[00:06:54] Jen: Yeah.

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[00:07:02] Samara: Mm. And you think, uh, like that's where I was gonna go before, I think as good salespeople, and this is the whole thing of influencers, right? Yeah, agreed. And there are influencers out there that- B- have become famous for whatever story. Can they influence? No. Does it feel hard? Yes. And then you have others that are just so organic on how they speak, that they're more salespeople.

But we're the same as hairdressers. How often am I like, "You have to watch this show. You have to read this book." Yes. Yes. "You've gotta do this. You've gotta do that." Like, "I'm so passionate about it, 'cause it was so good. Please go... Like, download it now." The amount of people I've been like, "Download this book right now."

In fact,

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[00:07:41] Samara: But we influence and sale, sell for other people's businesses constantly. Constantly. Yeah. For each other's businesses, for, you know, whatever it may be, but we're constantly, yeah, bringing people to what we are really s- Yeah ... our strong beliefs are.

I think the other thing is, when it comes to your team, is they've really gotta feel passionate about what they're using- Yes ... and what they're doing, otherwise it will feel salesy.

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for many, many, many years in your old salon- Mm ... to, to this salon. But I obviously have been to a lot of hair salons. I'm around a lot of women, so I hear the complaints about salons, you know, so I'm very aware as to- Yeah ... where there's a broken link. When someone walks into a hair salon, they actually don't wanna know your process.

They don't wanna know how you're gonna do it. Mm. They don't wanna know what's in this product.

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[00:08:33] Tiana: They wanna know the payoff.

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[00:08:36] Tiana: What's in it for them. But so often you'll walk in, and a lot of the time, so, uh, the process- Mm ... is, and I hear, I hear this a lot, and every time this gets said, I, I actually go, "" because it makes me nervous, and I'm someone who pretty much can tell you what I want, as Samara knows.

No, Tiana, no, no, no. We're not putting any more bleach in your head. But I think

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[00:08:56] Tiana: handle it. No, it's not happening. She's asked me before. It's not happening. But for most people, when you walk in and say, "So what are we doing today?" Oh. It's the number one thing- Mm

a hairdresser says.

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[00:09:03] Tiana: And straightaway you have actually just signaled that you're unsure of your client sitting in front of you. Yes. Mm. You've now put them having to find the solution in their own hands.

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[00:09:13] Tiana: Instantly they now feel, even though they might be like, "Ooh, I get to explain what I want," there is that, that slight shift in the way that was said is now they're in the power position, meaning they have to come up with the whole solution because you don't know them as a client.

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Yes ... what are we doing today, instead of being like, "What are you loving and what are you not loving?"

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[00:09:48] Tiana: Correct. Yep.

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[00:09:54] Jen: I book the wrong thing? I ju- I just thought that that's what...

Yeah,

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[00:09:59] Jen: know ...

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[00:10:09] Tiana: Yeah. Yeah.

I've even had it before where I'll be like, "Call Samara."

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[00:10:13] Tiana: Call Samara. She knows.

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It feels completely different. She- It feels like someone's taking charge.

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Yeah. You know, "What about, you know, when you wash and blow-dry, is that easy for you at the moment? How's the style going?" Do you know what you're doing? Think about it like you're gonna make a cake.

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[00:10:47] Tiana: You're collecting ingredients.

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[00:10:49] Tiana: And the more they tell you, one, you can come up with a beautiful solution, but do you know what else you can do?

When it comes to the end or midway through and you're recommending products to them, you already know the payoff that they're looking for. Yeah.

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[00:11:00] Tiana: When you just say, "What are we doing today?" And they're like, "Oh, I wanna go blonde like this picture," you have no idea what challenges they're having when they try and wash and blow-dry their hair.

You're not understanding, you know, the frizz that they might get. Mm. So the whole point of asking those questions is, yes, establish what they want to provide a beautiful experience, but think of it, you're getting ingredients to make the cake.

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[00:11:21] Tiana: So then when you offer the solution at the end, instead of saying, "Oh, this is kind of a good one," it's like, "Hey, you know, before you mentioned- Mm

this product here will absolutely overcome that frizz for you. And so when you walk out every time you've washed your hair at home, it's gonna feel like that blow wave look that you get a hair salon." Mm. Yeah. Instantly they're sold. Not, "It has 12 amino acids," or I don't know what goes

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Yeah. No one cares. They don't care

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[00:11:42] Samara: Yeah. Yeah. I think the thing too is when I met my training and when I met Jen- Yes ... was at that salon, was every single person had to be shown like three or four products. Yes. Five products.

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[00:11:54] Samara: And even if, you know, Jo came in every two weeks for a blow-dry, it was like every time.

Yep. So we got... Like, for a long time when I started working for myself, I didn't recommend retail because I was like, "Oh, I don't wanna be that salesy person." Yep.

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[00:12:09] Samara: And then I just really, like, I was like, I couldn't live my life without this

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[00:12:14] Samara: said to girls, we couldn't live our lives without what we use.

Yeah. And we're doing that same thing to clients, and that's just- You're

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[00:12:21] Samara: Yeah.

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Mm. They're sitting there and they've asked you, like, they've said, "I've got a problem," and you're not gonna give them a solution?

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[00:12:37] Jen: That you have the answer to.

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And so sometimes I'll just walk past and I'll be like, "How are you plan... Like, how do you wanna maintain it? Where are you struggling at home?" Mm. And literally they're like, "Oh yeah, I need shampoo and conditioner and a leave-in." And you're like, "Oh, that was the easiest job of my life," but it was just because I cared enough to be like- Yeah That's it

"How are we maintaining this at home?" Yeah. And I think one of the biggest things is keeping your head out of other people's wallets.

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[00:13:12] Samara: Like,

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[00:13:20] Samara: Yeah

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[00:13:22] Samara: Yes, or want to pay Or

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[00:13:24] Samara: value

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[00:13:25] Samara: want to invest-

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[00:13:26] Samara: their

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[00:13:29] Samara: Yeah Yeah

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[00:13:39] Samara: Yeah

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[00:13:41] Samara: Yeah

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[00:13:46] Samara: Yeah

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And I think this is why, for me, the sales girl identity, and you said before, like business owners are getting, they're trying to l- teach their team how to sell.

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[00:13:57] Tiana: It actually starts with the owner.

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[00:13:59] Tiana: Yes. Because however you sell is actually how your team will sell.

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[00:14:03] Tiana: And so the way I look at it is think of it like a house.

The ground floor is your sales floor.

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[00:14:09] Tiana: And then, you know, from a business owner point of view- Yep ... then you have content, you know, if you're, uh, if you use social media.

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[00:14:17] Tiana: You have marketing. You have all these other floors. But what happens is business owners, a lot of them, like to spend time on these other floors, and they only visit the sales floor when sales dip-

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[00:14:28] Tiana: Yeah ... when, you know, they need to quickly make some quick cash, whatever it is, whatever the reason is. Instead of, they see it as a place they visit- Mm ... they spend time on all these other floors, and they see that sales floor as one they visit. It is the foundation. It's the ground level.

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[00:14:40] Tiana: You actually need to live from that floor, and everything else comes from it- Mm

rather than a place you visit, live from it. And what that also does is then when it comes to creating content- Yeah ... when it comes to marketing, when it comes to team building, team exercises, team training, if you've been spending enough time on the sales floor- It's all there ... you know- Yeah ... that's the content.

Mm. You know what to deliver there. Mm. And that's what I see a lot when I hear, and I hear a lot, especially 'cause I, I work with a lot of large teams. Mm. And it's always the owner or the manager saying, "My team aren't selling as well." Mm. I'm like, "Well, it actually starts with how much time are you spending on the sales floor?"

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[00:15:11] Tiana: That can mean physically on the floor, but also selling, letting them see you sell, so they can take on that identity of... And that's like the sales girl identity isn't I don't wanna seem salesy. It is literally, "Oh, no, I'm gonna recommend this product because to not recommend this product is actually a r- like, me stepping into someone who doesn't care about people."

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[00:15:32] Tiana: Like, I don't care enough about you to recommend it.

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and really back into, like, what they need, what the aftercare look like. W- and we've had no meetings about it. Yeah. Yeah. It's just because I'm very good at it- Yeah ... so when I'm good, they're- They're good ... incredible as well. Head

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[00:16:02] Samara: And they're also really proud of, like, you know, and the greatest compliment is when someone comes back and goes, "That shampoo changed my life."

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[00:16:10] Samara: It is the- Yes ... I, I'm like, "This is why I do this." Yeah. Like, oh, that dry shampoo, because I can post something now. I posted about a new supplement I'm on, and everyone's like, "I want it." I'm like, "You can't have it until I've been doing it- Until you've tried it ... for three months." Yes. Because- Like guarantee that it's great

I need to make sure that it's perfect. But now it's like- so incredible because you then all of a sudden have people that just trust- Yeah ... what you say and knowing that they're not just, you're not just selling to sell, but we're like, "Okay, this is gonna solve this problem, and this is gonna solve- Yes

this problem." And everyone's like, "Oh, yeah, amazing. Yep, amazing, amazing." And

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[00:16:43] Samara: Yeah.

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[00:16:48] Samara: Yes.

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Yeah. They get to explain. You also get to make sure you know exactly what they want.

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[00:16:54] Tiana: Because I know s- like, oh, you said you, oh, no, creamy blonde, but my idea of creamy blonde versus yours, like we've got different images of that. Yeah. Mm-hmm. So it, it obviously overcomes anything where there could be confusion or misalignment in what the person wants, but you're collecting the whole way through, then you can just start seeding, not to be salesy, but you're like, "Oh, that's right.

I don't want them to leave feeling like a Victoria's Secrets model- Mm ... and then wash their hair the next day and-

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[00:17:17] Tiana: it's all frizzy and- Yeah ... whatever their, their challenges are. Mm. So I'm gonna make sure that when they leave my salon, their hair is in the best condition when they come back.

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[00:17:24] Tiana: That is a whole different mindset, but that's why it starts with self-mastered selling, 'cause it starts with your state.

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[00:17:29] Tiana: The state that you are in is exactly the way you see the world, you shape the world.

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[00:17:32] Tiana: So the state you're in will penetrate through every single client that you have.

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Let's talk about what, what is self-master. Like talk about- Yeah ... self-mastery then.

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[00:17:55] Samara: Mm.

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Hmm ... so I'll have to tell you a story in a minute about a baby, but like they literally- No, I think

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[00:18:04] Tiana: I've- Like stop talking.

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[00:18:06] Tiana: Ask questions. Yeah. And listen. Listen more. You know, one mouth, two ears, right? Mm. Is the state that you're in, so if you see it as salesy, you will come across as salesy.

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[00:18:16] Tiana: Yeah? And also your intention. Yeah. They are the two things that I, we master first. So when I talk about self-mastery, it's absolutely about your energetic state, the state you're in, the standards you hold for yourself, your body language, your tonality, every single thing that starts on self. Mm. Because as we know, the way we see ourselves is exactly the way we're gonna portray ourselves.

Portray, yeah. Mm. And so it's really important. And also, you're not gonna be able to step into someone who truly can focus on others if you are so focused on, "I don't wanna be like this. I don't wanna seem like that." And you said it earlier. Yeah. It's very selfish-

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[00:18:48] Tiana: to not recommend something because you're worried about-

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[00:18:51] Tiana: what they're gonna think of you. Mm.

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[00:18:55] Tiana: Yeah. Mm.

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[00:18:56] Tiana: Yeah, so we s- always start with self-mastery, getting yourself into a position where a sales girl sees everything as an opportunity. You know, I had someone say to me the other day, "I'm not coming," because I'm doing an experience soon.

And she's like, "I'm not signing up to your experience because I know you're gonna sell me something, and I always buy what you..." And I'm like, "Damn straight." Mm. "I will absolutely be selling you something if I believe-" Yes "... that I can help you." That's what you need, yeah. "If I think that's gonna make your marriage better, if I think I can make you more money in your business, if I think that's gonna help your team, I will be selling to you.

Like, absolutely I will be." Mm. What sort of person would I be if I'm like, "Oh, I could really help her, but you know what? I don't want her to think that I'm salesy, so I'm not going to."

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And I saw an insight to that that I haven't seen-

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[00:19:45] Samara: Because we're not in the coaching space, right?

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[00:19:48] Samara: So I saw an insight, but it's so interesting to see that now because I've, I've seen multiple coaches and doing work with you and I'm like, "Oh, I'll just buy that again." Yes, I trust what you say, I trust your intention, I trust your moral- Yes

and your values behind it. And then you... I have other people that I can see and I go, they're salesy and they're getting the sales, but then they're not following it on, and they... it's just to get the money in. Mm. And then the amount of people that I've heard on the other side saying, "I was disappointed, I was disappointed, I was disappointed."

Yeah. Because I, I think the same thing is you go, "If it's not right, I'm not gonna sell it to you." Correct. If I can't help you- Correct ... or if I'm gonna put you in a financial situation that you can't handle, I am not signing you up to this. Because I think that is the integrity too. Like I... Even if the client needs it, if I'm gonna put you in a financial position that's actually going to make everything harder for you, then we need to sort out a different option or go s- you need to maybe go visit somewhere else or...

Because you also don't wanna put someone in a position where they're like, "I've just spent, you know, $800 on hair product and I can't afford to eat for the next two weeks." Like you really- Absolutely. You also have to do

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There's no pressure.

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[00:20:58] Jen: It's not that you... It's like, "I think this would help. Just-" This is what I, this is my recommendation for you Even though I say to people now- Yeah ... 'cause a lot

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[00:21:10] Jen: Yeah.

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[00:21:23] Tiana: is also though a very high level elite influence persuasion technique.

Yeah, okay. So you tell them that there is no pressure, that they do not need to buy it- Yeah ... then instantly they feel like they're in control, so then they wanna buy it.

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[00:21:33] Tiana: So you've just handed the power back. I just do

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Yeah. Yeah. Back in the day, they were like, "Here is all the things you need." And I was like, "I never, ever want a client to feel like you, first and foremost, aren't my priority." Yeah. And that you don't need all of these things. You don't. And it's like- Yeah, yeah ... it's only as you tell me your issues, and you- Yes

if you can then turn around and say, "Right, I'll take two of the three things," what is most important? Yeah. I'll say, "Start with this, and then as you finish that, start this." Which is what

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Yeah. Yeah. You're not selling at the end. Remember, sales is, the sales floor, you live from it. Yes. You live from that identity. Anything feels hard if you have to turn it on.

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[00:22:15] Tiana: yeah. Like anything. Like, okay,

i'm a mum when I'm with my children, when I'm not. Mm. I'm a wife when I'm with my husband, when I'm not.

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[00:22:21] Tiana: You know, if you're a runner, let's say you're someone who runs, when you're not running, would you say, "I'm not a runner"?

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[00:22:28] Tiana: No. Yeah. You, what would you be doing? You'd be recovering, you'd be hydrating, you'd be eating well, you'd be prepping. It's exactly the same as being someone in sales. Mm. So I'm always looking for opportunity, and again, it might not just be a, a monetary exchange. Yeah. Sometimes it is. I'm running a business.

It's a business. Yeah,

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[00:22:42] Tiana: But I'm always living from that of a how can I help move this person? So if you look at it the way I see sales, it's a bridge. So I'm over here in the extraordinary world, which is my offer. Mm. Which might be your product. Mm. Or your solution to their, their hair problem. They're over here on the other side of the bridge, right?

Everything that's in the way there, uh, all their limiting stories, limiting beliefs, reasons why they can't.

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[00:23:04] Tiana: My only job is to help them across the bridge. Mm. Yeah. Drag them across the bridge, drag them in, drag them around.

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[00:23:10] Tiana: We've all done that before. Not doing that ever again. Mm. So instead, go across and meet them and overcome- Yeah

and give them a new belief system. Sales is a transference of belief. So I'm like, "You don't believe enough in yourself, take, borrow my belief, and I'm gonna show you a new way of thinking."

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[00:23:25] Tiana: Then they can actually make a very empowered decision on whether it's the right offer for them or not.

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'Cause it's all a, I, you know, especially in our industry with all of the different things. Mm-hmm. Like, I don't do hair extensions because I'm like, it's not where I feel passionate about. Yeah. And I would be selling someone, something to someone that I don't- Love ... understand. Yeah. Um, but-

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[00:23:47] Tiana: That's what I mean. Yeah.

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Yes.

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[00:24:05] Samara: Yeah. Like, there's a reason why you feel, and that's why I say to people sometimes, maybe don't be the jack of all trades in our industry. Maybe choose something that you love- I love that ... because you find that you, unless you do love it all, because you will find that you will always gravitate to something that you wanna learn more of, and you wanna kind of sink your teeth into, and it becomes, you know, a part of who...

And then you become the expert in it. Yeah.

[: 00:24:27

[00:24:27] Samara: And then of course everyone's gonna buy off you-

[: 00:24:28

[00:24:34] Samara: Yeah.

[: 00:24:35

[00:24:35] Jen: Can we talk about, um, h- money?

[: 00:24:39

[00:24:40] Jen: Can we talk about why sometimes people feel icky around sales?

[: 00:24:45

[00:24:46] Jen: And the transaction of money.

[: 00:24:47

[00:24:56] Jen: Yeah.

[: 00:24:56

Anything above that puts them into, not all of them, but can put them into a fight or flight, can put them into questioning their identity, not knowing what to do with that money. So it takes a, a little while for them to adjust to that new thermostat. And so what can happen is when it's... I wouldn't say pe- I don't wanna generalize- Yeah, yeah

'cause I don't think everyone's icky about money. But there's been, again, to that sales is a dirty word. Mm. It's that whole same connotation around when you have more money, bad people have more money. Mm. Yes. People do bad things with money. But we already know, this is 101, money is an amplifier. Mm. Yeah. If you do good things, you're gonna do more good things.

If you do bad things, you're probably gonna do more bad things. It's who you are as a character. Mm. So I don't think, I don't wanna generalize, say people are funny with money, but I'll say it's, it's where your thermostat is at. Yeah. And so the, the work, the mastery is actually learning about how to increase your thermostat.

And I learnt that when I started my coaching business. It blew up very quickly. You know, I was very blessed and it went through the roof. Now I was blessed 'cause I came from a corporate role where I earned very good money, so I already came in- So

[: 00:26:06

[00:26:07] Tiana: thermostat was high, yeah ... at a high thermostat.

So I skipped, you know, I know in the coach industry the first thing is a 10K month. Mm. You know, everyone wants a 10K month. That was kind of the... I, I jumped straight past that. I didn't have a 10K month. My first month was like a 33K month. Mm. When I'd been a brand-new business, never been online before, starting out.

And that was because I was already earning well over 10K. Mm. So for me, that wasn't like, well, I'm not starting this to- Yeah, yeah ... you know, it's that thermostat. And then it just kept jumping, jumping, and then all of a sudden it's a 400K month and a 500K month. And so your, your whole body has to learn that you are safe to have that money, and the way I do it is I also know where the money's going.

[: 00:26:40

[00:26:40] Tiana: So before it even comes in- Ah ... I know where it's going. So my money has a path- Yeah ... every single time. And it's all about circulation

[: 00:26:48

[00:26:49] Tiana: Yeah I like that And there's a lot of deeper work right underneath that. But that's self-mastered. That is what it's all about.

[: 00:26:54

[00:26:56] Tiana: Yeah.

[: 00:26:57

And Jen and I have learnt that many times. We're always like, "Oh, Tiana's in our head," 'cause we're not doing anything for ourselves. Yeah, you will. Standards. But you will always say... Yes, standards. Yeah. Like, where, you know, are you doing all of these things? What is your capacity? What are you okay saying no to right now because you need this and this and this?

If you're in burnout, we're not giving it any... Like, and it is, especially with being a business owner, it is so much about the self-mastery. Yeah. Because if your fight or flight and down and low and everything is hard, the whole business- The whole business ... reflects from it.

[: 00:27:39

I

[: 00:27:44

[00:27:45] Jen: in

[: 00:27:45

[00:27:45] Jen: head. She's

[: 00:27:45

[00:27:51] Samara: But funny enough, like Lee was feeling gross yesterday, and I was like, "Okay, what are you gonna do this week?" He said, "Oh, I'm just gonna be better." And I was like, "Uh-uh." No.

And I was like, "No, no." What is better? We... What is better? Steps, yeah. And so, like I created us both notes that said like, okay, he was like, "Oh, I wanna get in the pool every morning at 4:00 AM." Love it To... And it was like, okay, so it's his pool seven times. I'm like, "You gotta check that off." Because sometimes it's the mastery of just doing- The thing

the thing. Yep. Which is why I have to pee 94 times in this episode. Because mine is water. Yeah. Because it's just doing the thing. Yeah. It's doing the one thing that's going to make you- Take the action ... actually feel better.

[: 00:28:26

Yeah. So that's why you have to shift the beliefs about yourself- Mm ... in order to shift the action. And the reason I start with self, it, it absolutely turns from self to them, right? Yeah. So you master yourself because your state will influence their state- Mm ... instantly. Mm. And then it's all about them, because you already know who you are.

You already understand your self-concept and how you then see yourself- Mm ... others will see you.

[: 00:28:51

[00:28:52] Tiana: Yes. So I will alway- I will always start with self.

[: 00:28:55

And it's the same when you're a hairdresser. If you're coming from being really integral, not overselling somebody something they don't need or s- upselling them, you know, if y- they're booked in for a full head and they're like, you're like, "You don't need that." It's really being- Yeah ... conscious. And that's how you maintain- Yeah

clients. In that specific sales that you might have gone down, but then they might buy seven products because they're like, "Now I have that extra-" But that's

[: 00:29:27

[00:29:29] Tiana: Yes.

[: 00:29:29

[00:29:30] Tiana: and integrity. You know, this is the other part, though, and it's so easy, and you said it before, and I was gonna jump on it and I think then you had to pee.

Um, you, you mentioned- Buying in the coaching industry, and you said that, you know, you've, you've, either you've bought or you've, you've heard other people that have bought- Yeah ... and the people are making money and they're buying the thing, but then they're not having good experience in it. Now, obviously- Yeah

we can't always be in control of others' results, but- Yes ... the experience, yeah, we are actually accountable to that. Yes. We are as the coach selling- Yes. Yeah ... the mentor selling the, the- Yeah ... thing, whatever it is. What I... M- so my thoughts on that, you don't, the sale doesn't stop the minute the exchange happens.

Mm. It's actually when the sale starts.

[: 00:30:08

[00:30:09] Tiana: Because remember, selling is a transference of belief. It's helping someone get across that bridge. Now, just because they've said yes, they've taken a massive step, so they're already sort of like- Yeah ... one step towards that bridge. They're not over the edge yet.

They're not over the bridge. They're not in that extraordinary world yet. Yeah. They're still in their ordinary world. They wanna get to that extraordinary world, meaning the goal that they have, which is the extraordinary world. Yeah. So if they're still in their ordinary world and then you go, "Cool, done.

Now just go do the program," or whatever it is, and the experience isn't there. Mm. Yeah. That happened to us actually recently. We'd signed up with someone, it wasn't a coaching program, and the selling process was elite. Elite. The experience inside was so subpar- Mm ... that it wasn't even us complaining. It was actually like, "Oh, whoa, we're gonna actually have to say something."

Mm.

[: 00:30:48

[00:30:49] Tiana: You know? And I'm like, that's when the sale starts.

[: 00:30:51

[00:30:52] Tiana: Because remember, to always sell is to be helping someone move across the bridge. Mm. To be reshaping their beliefs, helping them discover new beliefs about what's possible for them. That is when you're doing that work.

[: 00:31:02

[00:31:03] Tiana: You're never not selling.

Yeah. It's the identity you live from. Same as when they hair, someone comes in to get their hair done. Mm. Love it when you look at me like that.

[: 00:31:10

[00:31:15] Tiana: I can see her eyes glazing ... her

[: 00:31:16

[00:31:19] Tiana: Yeah. And so y- that's why if you lead from that identity the whole time rather than just the exchange, you're not going to miss any opportunity. Yeah. No opportunity to help someone, to make more money in your own business. You know, I don't, I, I steer clear of saying sales is service. It is, but I steer clear of it 'cause I think it's been used so many times- Yeah

it makes selling... Again, I think it adds to the selling is icky if you don't say it's service.

[: 00:31:39

[00:31:40] Tiana: You know? Yeah. It's like that sell without selling or build such a magnetic brand you never have to sell.

[: 00:31:45

[00:31:45] Tiana: Whilst all those things are really powerful, and they work, again, we are adding to the sales is a dirty word- Yes

by using that, that language, so I really steer clear of it. But instead I go, "No, I'm a sales girl." Yeah. "I'm a sales girl and I change lives." Yeah. Yeah. "I'm a sales girl and I change lives."

[: 00:31:58

[00:31:59] Tiana: I help people move from here to here. If you wanna move and I can help you, I will let you know."

[: 00:32:03

[00:32:05] Samara: it.

So if you...

Well, here's your sales pitch. Yeah. If someone was like, "I'm feeling all of these things," like if you were like, "Just start from here," what would it be?

[: 00:32:16

[00:32:17] Samara: Like, if someone was like, "I'm struggling with my team. I struggle with selling myself. I struggle with," um- If someone

[: 00:32:24

[00:32:26] Samara: Yeah.

[: 00:32:26

[00:32:27] Samara: Yeah.

[: 00:32:28

[00:32:28] Samara: Obviously. Literally.

[: 00:32:29

[00:32:31] Samara: Yep.

[: 00:32:32

[00:32:37] Jen: Yeah, yeah.

[: 00:32:38

[00:32:45] Jen: Yeah.

[: 00:32:46

[00:32:53] Samara: Yep.

[: 00:32:54

[00:33:00] Samara: Yep.

[: 00:33:00

So there's a thing what I call, thing I call the sales girl software, and it's the three Ps: product, people, payoff.

[: 00:33:29

[00:33:30] Tiana: Yeah. Everyone knows their product, and it's the thing you should know the most.

[: 00:33:34

[00:33:34] Tiana: But it's the thing you should talk about

[: 00:33:36

[00:33:38] Samara: Yeah.

[: 00:33:38

Know your client. If it's a new client, again, you're gonna have to ask more questions, but most of the time it's a re- repeat client. Know your people. Know what they love, know what they don't love. Instead of inside your notes on your computer having just the color they want and the toner that you put in- Yeah

actually put, "They love this about their hair." Mm. "Gave them this product. They really hate this. They love it when I do this." Like, know your people, but more than any of it, know their payoff. Know your payoff. Yeah. Mm. So what I would do is get them to choose their favorite products. Sit down and write on there Every single payoff that product gives, not what's in the product.

They don't care. Mm. Yes. What is the payoff it gives them? Why

[: 00:34:15

[00:34:16] Tiana: yeah. Then get them to get every single client that they have coming up for that week, every single client, and say, "What product would they want based on what I know about them?" It might change when they come in, because, you know, I haven't seen them for eight weeks and something's shifted, but what is it?

Mm. And then instantly you can see they go from thinking, "Oh, I'm being salesy," to being, "I've actually thought about my clients before they've come in." Mm. Yeah. "I'm so aware of to how I can help them this week, and I know the payoff of that product."

[: 00:34:41

And I went through the whole thing in my head, 'cause I was like, "That time you came in, you always wanted your ends brighter." Yep. "We did that detox you loved." Yep. K18's now got that in the shampoo. And I was like- Yeah ... "Damn it. If Tiana wasn't brown, that product would've been perfect for her." See? But yeah, I was, yeah.

[: 00:35:04

[00:35:16] Tiana: go. See? Love it. Love it. See, selling me. I love it.

Um- But so that's what I would say. Yeah. Actually, you need to look at yourself first, but to start, put a process in place that shifts your team from thinking, "Oh, I've just gotta sell product." Don't even make it about, "I'm gonna teach you to sell the product." No, "We're gonna give our clients more love this week."

[: 00:35:35

[00:35:35] Tiana: We're gonna make it a better experience, but we need to know who our clients are." Yeah. "We need to really understand them better, so these are the list of questions we're gonna ask." So it is straightaway recommendation. So when you're selling to them, "I recommend this, the reason why I recommend this, and the result."

Mm. Yeah. So it's the three Rs. Every single client, give them the three Rs. "Here's my recommendation. Here's the reason why. Here's the result." I call it payoff, but I know result lands for other people. And have it for y- every single team member. Mm. And it might not be your favorite product.

[: 00:36:02

[00:36:03] Tiana: But it's their favorite product.

Yes. You can only sell from conviction. Mm. You can't sell because someone told you it's great. You can't.

[: 00:36:08

I'm like, "Have you used it?" Yeah. "Can you see it? Is it making the difference?" Mm-hmm. Like, because otherwise we put all this product on our shelves and we're like, "No, I actually have no idea."

[: 00:36:26

[00:36:27] Samara: I have no idea what any of that- Yeah. What it

[: 00:36:28

Yeah. Sometimes I might ask if I know a little bit about some ingredients, you know, but otherwise, I don't care about that. Just tell me how amazing I'm gonna look.

[: 00:36:38

[00:36:39] Tiana: What- When

[: 00:36:39

[00:36:43] Tiana: Am I gonna look like a supermodel? Yeah. That's all I wanna do.

[: 00:36:44

[00:36:45] Tiana: Like- Make me look how I look when I leave

[: 00:36:47

[00:36:49] Tiana: Yeah. The pretty how. And then the education that comes with it. Yeah,

[: 00:36:51

[00:36:53] Tiana: Yeah, that's the extra value that you obviously you have to, you have to give as well. Yeah. Whereas a lot of the time people- And checking

[: 00:36:58

[00:36:58] Tiana: tell that.

[: 00:36:59

[00:36:59] Jen: Because I suppose that's like just leaving someone on the other side of the bridge and being like, "Okay, you got here. Peace," and just jumping off.

That's it. You know, like it's that checking back in, "Did you like it?"

[: 00:37:07

[00:37:11] Jen: Yeah.

[: 00:37:12

You thinking about."

[: 00:37:18

[00:37:19] Samara: Yeah, I did love it," or, "No, I didn't. I haven't used it. It's still in my cupboard." And you're like, "Get it out."

[: 00:37:24

[00:37:25] Samara: Use it."

[: 00:37:25

[00:37:30] Jen: Yes.

[: 00:37:31

[00:37:31] Jen: Yes.

[: 00:37:32

[00:37:32] Jen: I had that with a client who was like, "Yeah, I don't know, it's just still happening." I was like, "But you bought this." She's like, "I haven't used it." I'm like, "And yet here you are still with the same problem. If only..." She's like, "Fine. Fine." If only you did what you were told. "I'll use it."

And then she came back and she's like, "Do you know what?" I was like, "It worked?"

[: 00:37:49

[00:37:50] Samara: Yeah.

[: 00:37:51

[00:37:51] Tiana: then look, people will be like that. Yeah.

[: 00:37:53

[00:37:53] Tiana: You know, it's like anything, even with programs.

[: 00:37:55

[00:37:55] Tiana: You know, you can't, you can definitely create an amazing experience, but people have to lead themselves- Yes

in areas as well.

[: 00:38:01

[00:38:02] Tiana: Yeah.

[: 00:38:03

[00:38:07] Tiana: That's it. Sign me up. It's changing, it's, yeah, it's shifting the lens in which you view it.

[: 00:38:13

[00:38:14] Tiana: Yeah. Shift the lens. To be a sales girl is the highest compliment a woman can receive, because a sales girl knows how to communicate. She changes lives.

She knows how to move people. She knows how to influence people. She knows how to make money.

[: 00:38:23

[00:38:25] Tiana: Like, for me, I'm like, "Give me that badge. I'll wear that proudly."

[: 00:38:27

[00:38:33] Samara: So many nuggets. I'm like, my head is expanding, but then I'm like, "Yeah, I do do that. Yeah, I do do that."

But I think the thing is, like you said, the m- you know, you're still a mum when you're not a mum, you're still a runner when you're not a runner, is I think salon owners get burnt out by it, and then they stop doing it. Correct. And then- Yeah ... they stop thinking about it, and they stop, like whereas I love it so much now, it is a part of my identity, of how I take care of people- Yes

with product. Um, but I can look over that times where I'm like, "Oh, I was bad and I didn't sell anything this week," because I just didn't speak about it. It wasn't in, like, you know? Yeah. I was in my own head.

[: 00:39:06

[00:39:07] Samara: And I was being selfish from my own perspective instead of finding out more about somebody else.

[: 00:39:13

[00:39:19] Samara: What shampoo and conditioner are you using?

[: 00:39:21

[00:39:21] Samara: I never ask that anymore. Yeah.

[: 00:39:23

[00:39:25] Samara: questions.

[: 00:39:25

Yeah. Now that I've got, like, the longer, darker hair, I'm like, "Oh, no, give me silky smooth." Yeah. You know? So it's asking really good quality questions and understanding the person, and then when you recommend something, you don't even feel like you're selling. You just pr- you've just given them a solution to the problem they've just told you they have.

[: 00:39:54

What did you not love? What did you

[: 00:40:11

[00:40:12] Samara: Um, and then let's reformulate. Yeah. Because it's not, you don't always make the right decisions based on- No ... what someone needs. Yeah. Especially if you're not getting all of the information.

[: 00:40:20

[00:40:20] Samara: Yeah.

[: 00:40:21

[00:40:24] Samara: ' Cause there's a lot of blondes that also say- Yeah ... "I want it to feel silky," but then they'll say, "Oh-" Too heavy ... "but then it was too heavy." Yep. "Then I felt weighed down." Yeah. "And then I didn't feel..." Like, you know? Yeah. So you've gotta have, like, these conversations of, like, how... I always say, "How do you want it to feel- Yeah

in your hair?" If I, like, "I need shampoo and a shower." I'm like, "Cool." I'm not just gonna pick anything off the shelf Yeah ... because then that's just selling someone something.

[: 00:40:45

[00:40:46] Jen: Yeah.

[: 00:40:46

[00:40:50] Samara: Yes.

[: 00:40:50

[00:40:52] Tiana: Yeah.

[: 00:40:52

[00:40:58] Samara: I'm like that.

[: 00:40:59

But if there's another problem that you've now said to me that you're having, and I've got something that will fix that, you can still keep all those.

[: 00:41:11

the styling products or the, um, leave-ins or the heat protectants or all the other things that we need. Because they're like, "I know I just have to sell shampoo and conditioner."

[: 00:41:28

[00:41:28] Samara: You don't have to sell anything. You have to r- fix whatever's going on. Because, yeah, I'll have people say, I'll be like, "W- if you're struggling, what are you using?"

And they'll say, "This, this and this." And I'll be like, "Shampoo and conditioner's great. We need a leave-in and a heat protectant."

[: 00:41:40

[00:41:40] Samara: Mm. It's easy. Like, don't move off something that's already perfect for you. But I think that's when it can feel salesy too. Yeah ... is someone's like, "Well, now do I have to throw out half of my shampoo?"

[: 00:41:51

[00:42:03] Samara: Yeah

[: 00:42:03

Start with the, the example I gave you- Yes ... by sitting down and going, "What are the payoffs?" Payoff being- Yeah ... silky smooth hair or more volume or whatever it is. What is in it for them, and then what's the payoff of the payoff? So I wouldn't even sell... Like, so the payoff is silky s- like, let's say volume, and then if you were selling to me, this is what you'd say to me, and I know you would 'cause you know I love this, "It's gonna give you so much more volume, but you know that feeling you have when you leave here and you feel like that Victoria's Secrets model when you're walking through the shopping center and you've got that bouncy, full hair, and then you go home and you have a great night with your husband-

because you feel like a Victoria's Secrets model? That's what this product does." Can you see the difference in that? Yes. So the payoff is the volume. Yeah. The payoff of the payoff is actually what I get to become, who I get to become- Give that, yeah ... because of that payoff.

[: 00:43:01

[00:43:02] Tiana: That is where the gold is.

That's the secret sauce.

[: 00:43:04

[00:43:05] Tiana: You tell me that, I'm like, "Sign me up. My husband will come in and buy all

[: 00:43:08

[00:43:09] Jen: It's like, just, just put it in the bag. Who are

[: 00:43:12

[00:43:13] Samara: the supplier? How do I get all that? He doesn't care how much I spend. Just put it in the bag. But it is a confidence piece-

[: 00:43:19

agreed. Like, we all know that feeling when you get your hair done and you go walk, and you go like, "Yeah."

[: 00:43:23

[00:43:24] Tiana: It's that, and that's what, that is what you're selling. You're selling that confidence. You're selling transformation to someone.

[: 00:43:29

[00:43:30] Tiana: You're not selling them a conditioner. And

[: 00:43:31

[00:43:31] Tiana: Yeah ...

[: 00:43:32

What do you need to change? Yeah. Like, you have the capacity of going, "You know what? That blonde actually looks terrible on that hairdresser. We need to change... Oh, uh, that client. We need to change it up." Yeah. "We need to change it-" Yeah ... "and transform it," whatever it looks like.

[: 00:43:45

Not just how's your hair feeling, how are you feeling?

[: 00:43:49

[00:43:50] Tiana: yeah. 'Cause I think that we only get our hair done for confidence.

[: 00:43:51

[00:43:53] Tiana: You know, we do it so we feel good. You feel good and you... You know, if you look good, you feel good, you make more money.

[: 00:43:57

[00:43:58] Tiana: Better sex, better life. Mm. You do. It's a fact. It's a fact.

We're women. Men are the same, but we're probably a higher level with the maintenance

[: 00:44:04

[00:44:05] Tiana: Yeah. Yeah. And so I think just focus on the transformation and the payoff of the payoff- Mm. Yes ... in everything. Then you're not selling. You're like, "It's exciting." Like, even just then when I was saying that, I watched both your faces, and you were like, "Yes!"

'Cause that is the feeling. Mm. Give them the feeling, the transformation of who they get to become because of the conditioner.

[: 00:44:21

And so she used two different types of lip gloss and two different types of lip liner, and I went to make a... And I was like, took a photo of it all, went to make a bottle four. And I was like, I'm now a... Well, I, t- I was looking at your lips before. I'm like, "Fuck, I forgot to put my lip liner on." But I feel confident.

How

[: 00:44:49

[00:44:56] Samara: Yeah. Like, what the hell? And it transforms your face- Yeah ... and now I'm like, "

[: 00:44:59

[00:45:00] Samara: But I was like, now I'm the girl that wears lip liner.

Lip liner. And I walk in feeling so much more confident.

[: 00:45:04

[00:45:05] Samara: But I was like, yeah.

[: 00:45:06

[00:45:11] Samara: Yeah, I didn't care- Yeah ... about the long-lasting. I cared about the fact that- No, who I get to become-

I felt like a boss with my lips ... because of it. Yes. Sometimes I drive home, put that on. I'm gonna see Lee, and he might be in bed, but I'm like, "But I'm gonna look boss when I see him." But I look

[: 00:45:21

[00:45:22] Samara: Yeah.

[: 00:45:23

[00:45:23] Samara: Driving along to 9 o'clock at night, it's going all over my face, but I'm like, "I'm gonna look good when I get home and he's fast asleep."

But I feel confident. That's

[: 00:45:31

[00:45:31] Jen: The payoff of the payoff.

[: 00:45:33

[00:45:35] Tiana: Yeah.

[: 00:45:36

[00:45:41] Samara: Or lip liner.

[: 00:45:42

I'll just keep you PG.

[: 00:45:49

[00:45:52] Jen: Yeah.

[: 00:45:53

Yes. And then you can then master it with your team as well as- Yes ... with how that feels. Um, what does that process look like for someone?

[: 00:46:22

[00:46:24] Samara: Yep ...

[: 00:46:24

[00:46:26] Samara: Yep.

[: 00:46:26

[00:46:30] Samara: Yep. Okay, amazing.

[: 00:46:31

Yep,

[: 00:46:33

[00:46:40] Tiana: in,

[: 00:46:44

and then we'll go from there." But it's the same thing if someone wants to have their hair done with you, and they're like, you know, "Hey, can I get an appointment? What are your prices?" Mm. Instead of just going, "Oh, it's all on the website," which we can do, because we're busy, it's like, "Okay, tell me a bit about you.

Tell me a bit about your hair. Where are you going with it?" And how easy is it these days, and I don't do it enough, and I probably need to start doing it as well, but to just jump in a little voice note.

[: 00:47:14

[00:47:14] Samara: Mm. Um, because those things are what ends up, you know, all of it ends up creating more clientele, and then you're not having to sell as much on different platforms like Instagram to get appointments filled, because someone's come in and they feel really comfortable and- Yes

already they're like, "I know you, and thank you for so, ha- having a chat with me about it," even when, as you said, you're not gonna get any financial payback. One day you don't know what the payback will be from that person.

[: 00:47:39

[00:47:40] Samara: Yeah.

[: 00:47:40

Right? We all know that. Agreed. Mm. And that's why I said the sale doesn't stop the minute the exchange happens. Mm. That's when it starts. The way you lead them through the process, the experience, that can go from being a $100 sale to being a $5,000 sale- Mm ... because of the people that it impacts.

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[00:48:02] Tiana: true

never not be selling.

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[00:48:03] Jen: Can I-

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[00:48:05] Jen: can I ask you, and if you don't feel comfortable sharing it- Yeah ... it's okay. But I just think we were talking about your beautiful mum before we came on- Yes ... and just the story behind Zella- Sales girl, yeah ... and being a sales girl. Do you feel comfortable sharing that?

Yeah, of course. Yeah, yeah, of course. 'Cause I just love this so much. Yeah, yeah,

[: 00:48:19

And we went to the oncology appointment, and at the appointment, the doctor was sort of skipping around, like, I'm there going, "What's the treatment? Come on, tell us the treatment. We're here for a reason. We waited four weeks for this." Well, it was actually six weeks by the time we got there. And she went and got another doctor and came in the room and said, "There is no treatment.

that point, and you remember: 2023

Mm-hmm. It was a very turbulent year in my business, at the start of the year. The back end was amazing. We'd had our event. We'd just been, like, lots of great things had happened.

[: 00:49:19

[00:49:19] Tiana: And I was sitting there, and I was like, after seeing what my mum went through and just seeing how finite life i- like, life can just, like, change in an instant- I was just having that whole moment of like, "What am I doing?"

[: 00:49:33

[00:49:33] Tiana: Like, is this what I wanna be doing? Like, yeah, just I was questioning everything, as you do. And she leaned across, and she was quite unwell, and she leaned across, she put her hand on my leg, and she said, "Sweetheart, everything you do turns to gold. Everything you do, you've always been good at.

Since you were five years old, you've known how to help people." She goes, "You know how to sell. You're a sales girl." And in that moment, 'cause my whole life's been sales, from sale- like, I started working when I was 13, nine months before that with my parents. They had service stations, so I've always been selling.

But when she said it, the, the name kind of like... 'Cause when you first hear that word, it kinda does- Yeah ... have, like, friction behind it, which is why I'm using it, 'cause I love anything that causes friction, 'cause it makes people change their beliefs. And so, at first it was kinda like, "Oh, this is an un- an unusual thing to say, but yeah, okay, she's right.

Everything I do does turn to gold if I put my mind to it, if I have mastery around it. Yeah, okay." And I kinda let it go, and then over the coming weeks it became almost a language in our house. So little Ocean does this thing. So you might have seen it on my Instagram where we go like that. That stands for sales girl.

So she'd walk past Josh, and she gets her own way, as you can imagine Ocean would, and she'll like, let's say she'll sell him, kind of manipulate him, but we can say sell him- ... on something, and she'll walk past him, and she'll turn around and look at me and go, "

[: 00:50:41

[00:50:43] Tiana: Like this. So it became, it's become a language for a couple years now in our house.

It's, it's like a language when we get something we want, sales girl. And then when I was building, originally it was Woman of Influence Society. Mm. Remember, as you know. And I ha- I already coach women in business on how to make their businesses more profitable, and I realized the missing link for all women is sales.

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[00:51:03] Tiana: And if we, if... Most of the time I spend so much time in that. And so I realized that is actually what we need to zone in on. And when I was coming up with the name, so Sella the name in Italian means saddle or to take your seat at the throne, and in Spanish- Oh ... it means seal, so, like, seal the deal. So Sella, and also in Australia we say seller, like when you're a seller.

[: 00:51:23

[00:51:23] Tiana: Um, and then Sales Girl came because I was sitting there and I said to Josh, like, we were sitting at dinner, and we were talking about my mom, and then that, we were talking about that story, and Josh just looked over at me and he's like, "Tiana-" Like, that is the name. Like, you have to use that because that is what you stand for.

You are a sales girl, and when people step into that identity, they can create the life they want. Yeah. But they have to learn to sell on purpose- Mm ... not by accident. Mm. And so that's where Home of the Sales Girl came from. So it's got my mom in it, and that's been... Building this company with that foundation has just been the most heart-led mission I have ever been on because everything we do now comes back to is that who a sales girl is.

[: 00:52:00

[00:52:01] Tiana: Cause when my mom said that, my mom was an extraordinary woman. When she said that, it, it held weight. Mm. So does this, this decision and this company hold the same weight? Mm. So I don't throw sales girl around like the word is meant in society. Yes. I throw it around as a very high esteem to be a woman operating in her highest level of integrity and power.

Yeah.

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[00:52:18] Samara: So good.

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[00:52:20] Samara: good. And I think, um, I would love you to touch on- Mm ... obviously how your faith has-

[: 00:52:26

[00:52:27] Samara: impacted this journey because I think that's the same thing, right? Is just so integral. Um, but you're also led to make decisions based on a faith-

[: 00:52:37

[00:52:38] Samara: level.

[: 00:52:38

[00:52:39] Samara: Yeah.

[: 00:52:39

[00:52:40] Samara: yeah. Yeah. Like, talk into that for me.

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[00:52:43] Samara: Whatever you want ... where do I start? Whatever you want. Like, whoa. Yeah.

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[00:52:51] Samara: Mm.

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Where this is different is God is the foundation of the business.

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[00:53:00] Tiana: So rather than bring Him in once a business was up and running, and then there was me and then my new values. Not new. I, I always sort of operate in the values, but new faith.

[: 00:53:08

[00:53:09] Tiana: Now it's, oh, no, He is the foundation. So this was already a vision.

The whole impact of this company was already a vision from God. But now every single decision aligns with does this align with who Christ made me to be? Mm. Before I even release a single thing, which is why when people are like, "You need to go quicker. Launch it now. Like, it's genius, Tiana." I've had people go, "I wanna invest in that company.

How do I invest in your company?" I'm like, "No, no, no, no,

[: 00:53:32

[00:53:32] Tiana: Yeah. It is all aligned. Divine time. Yep, it is all aligned with when God says to move, I move.

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[00:53:39] Tiana: Yeah.

[: 00:53:39

Yeah, you did. So that was really special for me Yeah, yeah, yeah. Um, and then vice versa. Yeah. I saw that I watched you. Like you influencing. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Um, but I think that even the idea of that is, you know, who's behind you, b- what does it look like? You know, and just being able to, even for me, I think lately with all the different things, for me, having faith, and it, it may be different for everybody, but for me, having faith and being like, "This is your business."

Like, I'll just do whatever y- you, you tell. What I'll do whatever- Yeah ... I know is right based on what you want. Because it takes the fight or flight out of it. I'm like- It does ... I, I understand that you have this, and y- I will always be successful because I have him, so it's like whatever you want. Yeah. And so many people are floundering and going, "I just feel like I can't do this within my own weight."

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[00:54:37] Samara: Yes.

[: 00:54:38

[00:54:43] Samara: Yeah.

[: 00:54:43

[00:54:46] Samara: Yes.

[: 00:54:47

So you still have to step. Yes. Where sometimes I think it can go the other way, where people don't move 'cause they worry they're gonna do it wrong.

[: 00:54:58

[00:54:58] Tiana: But I, the way I look at it is I'm building for an audience of one.

[: 00:55:01

[00:55:01] Tiana: I'm not building even for my family. I'm not building for you. I'm not building for you.

[: 00:55:05

[00:55:05] Tiana: I'm not building for my Instagram followers. I'm gonna serve them. I'm gonna serve them at the highest capacity and create amazing experiences for them, but I'm serving so when I get at those gates- That's when judgment day comes.

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[00:55:15] Tiana: Yeah. It's not what anyone else thought.

[: 00:55:17

[00:55:18] Tiana: And that living from that foundation is when things happen, rather than thinking, "Oh, it's all burning down," I'm like, "Oh, no, God already knew this," right?

Because he's always laid out the path for us. He already sees what we're gonna face. Yeah. I'm like, "Okay, it's hard, it hurts, it sucks, I don't wanna do this anymore," but I know that he's my foundation-

[: 00:55:32

[00:55:32] Tiana: no matter what. And so success isn't my foundation. It was. Mm. I've lived from that state. Mm. Where my value came from, oh, successful, oh, great month, oh, successful.

[: 00:55:40

[00:55:42] Tiana: good. But- Yeah, and that's- that's why you end up with that, you know, when people say it doesn't make you happy. Money can bring happiness because it can bring experiences which can bring happiness. Yeah. So I'm not gonna ever downplay money, ever. You will never hear that come out of my mouth.

But it's that, you know, that you reach a success and then you kind of feel empty. You know that- that saying- Yes ... that everyone says? Yes. Even the most successful people, the billionaires in the world say the same thing. Mm. For me, that doesn't happen now because that hole in my heart is filled with God. Mm.

Whereas before, it did feel like... Whereas now I feel like my foundation is solid. Well, I know my foundation is solid to build from. And

[: 00:56:11

Yeah. Like, "Thank you for that week. Thank you for that conversation." Yes. Thank you, like I find... I always have been gratitude, but gratitude when you know who you're thanking is in a whole different level. Different realm. Yeah. Yeah,

[: 00:56:30

And then I said, "Oh, what would you like me to do the keynote on?" Because I've sort of been... They've known of me for a while- Mm ... so there's many different avenues, as you know, I could probably keynote on. Mm, mm. And she's like, "I'd really like you to do sales." And I'm like, "I'm literally building a business called Seller and Sales Girl."

No one knew. I didn't tell anyone. Mm, mm. No one. My family were the only people that knew. Not even my best friends. No one. And then my pastors, and then I had the church pray over me- Mm ... with the company. Mm. And then I'm there and I'm like, "Well, actually, I could probably time this launch with that." Yeah. And it was like the perfect message because it was all women.

And then I'm doing a Sales Girl launch, and then I had this investor reach out and he's like, I've known him for many years, and out of nowhere he's like, "You know I'm a Christian, right?" I'm like, "Excuse me? No, I have no idea. Worked with you for nine years, but I have no idea." And I'm like, God is just opening these doors that used to be my own strength, having to push and having to like- Mm.

Yes ... and now I'm like, no, when you actually align- With his vision for your life, doors open, and I used to hear that a lot Mm. And I'm like, "Yep, waiting for my doors." Any time now. Waiting for my doors. Whereas now I'm, like, blown away by some of the opportunities that are coming.

[: 00:57:39

B, C, D, E. Like, we're always like, "Here's plan A, so just stop worrying about it." Yeah. Plan A.

[: 00:57:47

[00:57:52] Samara: Oh, yeah.

[: 00:57:52

[00:57:54] Samara: Pw. And it's like- I think you said that to me- Yeah

as I was becoming a Christian. You said to me, "Oh, just, babe- ... the trials will come because-" Why don't you- I think everybody makes it fluffy ... because no one warns you of that. Everybody makes it fluffy. Like, everybody's like, "Oh, it's gonna be amazing." I know. But I think it was interesting, um, Tiff, one of our pastors, messaged the other day about, um, just life, you know- Yeah

how different my life is, and she, and she was talking about Lee as well, and she just said, um, pre, in your last life it was all in your own strength. Yeah. So you're pushing and everything- Yeah ... feels hard and a battle. Yeah. And you don't get the reward from it. No. 'Cause you don't y- But whereas now it's his path- Yep

and everything feels easy, but you definitely have moments of being in the fire- Yeah ... because h- your life is not what he wanted it to be.

[: 00:58:38

[00:58:39] Jen: Yeah.

[: 00:58:39

[00:58:53] Jen: Yeah.

[: 00:58:53

[00:59:10] Jen: Mm. Yeah.

[: 00:59:11

thanking him for it. Mm. Because I'm going, at the time I would have called it the worst moment of my life.

[: 00:59:20

[00:59:20] Tiana: And now I'm going, I'm a fundamentally different person. Mm. My future is fundamentally different because of that one moment and that refinement that came from it. But- And had he not done it-

[: 00:59:32

I don't know that he would have been. You know, you have to. Yeah. And this is what we were talking about this the other day, and it's like if you look into scripture and you see that God doesn't just move the mountain, God meets everyone at the- Yes ... top of the mountain, you still have to climb the mountain.

Mm. Like there's still

[: 00:59:48

[00:59:50] Jen: Exactly.

[: 00:59:50

[00:59:55] Jen: yeah.

[: 00:59:56

Exactly. Yeah. And the gold might not be, "Here's your treasures, dear one, for going through the fire," it's just this internal transformation, and you know, it's like- Yeah ... renewing of the mind. Mm. Yeah. It's why we even read the Bible, because it's alive and it renews our mind. That is what came for me, and I'm now still in the aftermath of the fire, but so grateful because I know who I became because of it- Yeah

and who I will become, and the people under me, meaning my family, my kids, I've got two daughters-

[: 01:00:33

[01:00:34] Tiana: a lesson I wouldn't have learnt had he not put me in the fire.

[: 01:00:36

[01:00:38] Tiana: I'm not saying he put me in the fire, but-

[: 01:00:40

[01:00:40] Tiana: I'm just saying- Had I not ... the fire was going to happen. He absolutely did not cause it, 'cause he doesn't cause pain, but he met me in it- Yeah

instead of saving me from it straight away. Mm. I should correct that, 'cause he d- certainly didn't put me in the fire.

[: 01:00:53

[01:00:53] Jen: Yeah.

[: 01:00:55

[01:01:02] Jen: Yeah ...

[: 01:01:03

Yeah. "Why next?" And even pray, like I would say, "Can you pray over it with me?" Yeah. "Why next? Why next? Why next?" And then you get to the end, you're like, "Oh, sorry." Sorry.

[: 01:01:16

[01:01:17] Samara: But I didn't lose faith in that and go, "Well, you're not doing what I want, so this doesn't work for me."

[: 01:01:21

Mm. We're gonna face trial and tribulations- Yeah ... that aren't from God, that are just from worldly things, if not maybe the enemy, who knows, right? Mm. But it's who we are in them, it actually tells you where your relationship's at.

[: 01:01:32

[01:01:33] Tiana: Okay. And there would've been a time early on in my Christian walk where I would've been like, "Oh, so much for God."

Like, I would've. Yeah. I mean, I've even heard pastors say they get angry at, you know, because you kinda go, "Where's the- Because it's life ... where's the rainbow and the butterflies?"

[: 01:01:45

[01:01:46] Tiana: Yeah.

[: 01:01:46

[01:01:48] Tiana: human.

[: 01:01:49

[01:01:49] Tiana: Yeah. So that's, I hope that answered your question.

[: 01:01:51

[01:01:59] Tiana: the walk of doom. Are you our warning?

[: 01:02:00

Thank you again. Thank you.

[: 01:02:15

[01:02:18] Jen: Thank you. Absolutely. Thank you. Okay. We'll talk to you soon. Bye.