I fly solo in this episode to chat with Fel Spahr whom I met in Twitterville shortly after my Life Coach post went viral. We serendipitously share mutual friends–amazing people doing amazing shit in the world–and after stalking her work, I realized we had to have her on the show. For the first time in over 80 episodes, Fel gives us a unique response to the magic question. You’ll be blown away when you find out what one thing she’s afraid of every single day despite seeing major growth and success after jumping out of her agency job to become her own boss.
Watch the show (uncensored & unedited)
Share Some Shut Up Love –> I wasn’t taught to ask questions just accept things as they are. Now I examine things like a scientist. – @FelSpahr #shutupshow (click to tweet)
Fun Facts:
- Felicia Spahr is a direct-response copywriter and sales consultant who believes that selling and asking for what we want is more than a transaction–it’s about relationships, understanding people, and inspiring action that changes lives.
- Fel lived in New York, Chicago, L.A. and San Francisco, transitioning from PR, to film, to entertainment, to advertising and starting her own business in a 5-year span.
- She’s also currently working on her first book, Selling for Success.
- Fell has appeared in The Huffington Post, Under 30 CEO, Mind Body Green, The East Hampton Star, The Monarch Review, Projeqt, Soul Pancake, Elephant Journal, and more.
Defining Shut Up Moment:
ON PURSUING CREATIVITY: I’ve been a creative all my life. Writing all the time. I was gonna win an Oscar some day. Graduated from school early. Moved to L.A.. Pursued the dream. I didn’t like living in L.A. very much. I didn’t want that life. I did an experiment. I stopped writing. Began working at a talent agency in L.A. Then randomly one day at a bus stop in L.A., the word advertising came in my head. I got a job in San Francisco at an ad agency. Then one day, they told me I was really good with people but my writing–not as good. I’ve always been that person who thought I could do this job better than you. I was not creatively satisfied and I didn’t like going to my job everyday. I quit without a plan. I felt a little scared but knew I’d be fine.
ON TRANSITIONING FROM EMPLOYEE TO ENTREPRENEUR: I was getting a personal training certification, taught creative writing on the side, and teaching a short story class randomly at a library nearby. It wasn’t financially sustainable. I hired a business coach and she very randomly asked, “Have you thought about being a copy writer?” I told her, “Of course I have,” but at that time I didn’t realize it was something the world needed. But I just did it. I went out and found clients. It’s been a great downhill journey from there. I help my clients dig into the “why” to refine their messaging. But I had to do it for myself too. The core of my message is all about understanding people. Being inside someone else’s head really was a magical experience for me. This is way bigger than copy writing. Toward the end of last year was when I really started getting a lot of traction and growing. I was like this is it.
Shut Up Tips:
There’s a big misconception about being rebellious and going against the grain. In terms of being unconventional, I just examine it like a scientist. Is that really the best way to do things? Why are we doing it this way? What’s informing that? – Fel Spahr
The creative mindset has been so ingrained in me. But that was also what was holding me back when I didn’t handle the hard stuff. – Fel Spahr
Every single person is a sales person today. We have to be artists of being better sales people of whatever it is we’re selling. – Berni Xiong
All that fluff stuff is great but it’s only half of the equation. The other half is understanding what worked, what didn’t, what went well, why did it go well, and how do we know it went well. – Berni Xiong
The world we live in is “What impact did you make on your customer aka the world?” – Berni Xiong
Copy writing is the career in acting I always wanted. – Fel Spahr
When you keep examining why people are they way they are and you dig deeply in to the mindset–I love that–it’s really fun for me. I’m getting into different characters every day. Copy writing married all of my interests perfectly. – Fel Spahr
Courage is not the absence of fear. It is the total presence of fear with the courage to face it. – Osho (via Fel Spahr)
It’s not about dismissing people because they’re different. It’s about not buying into what they say if you don’t agree. You don’t have to engage either. – Berni Xiong
It’s a tough world we live in if we allow it to get us down but it’s also an amazing and beautiful world we live in if we surround ourselves with amazing people doing good shit in the world. – Berni Xiong
Fel Recommends:
To handle my fear, I’m paying more attention to what’s going on around me but systematizing greatness for myself.
- Listening to good background noise.
- Scheduling calls with people who are way more successful than I am, once a week.
- Leaving some of my favorite books around the house.
My favorite book: How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
Another great book: Courage:The Joy of Living Dangerously by Osho
Find Fel:
On Twitter @FelSpahr
Fel’s web site and blog: FeliciaSpahr.com
Fel is working on her first book, Selling for Success, and currently looking for case studies to write about.
Get her best stuff not published anywhere else by subscribing here.