Gabrielle Leonard is on a mission to help emerging entrepreneurs and creatives create purpose based business that is not only profitable but one that serves their kingdom purpose. Trained in Project Management, Grant Writing, Leadership, QuickBooks, Management, Marketing, Branding, and Events Management, Gabrielle has 8+ years of experience in customer service, marketing management and strategic planning which provides her clients with unique benefits and advantages.
She has worked with clients in Atlanta, Washington, Africa, Australia and other parts of the world as a purpose and business strategist in her company Inspired Royals LLC., a global enterprise. Her vision is that women should have the mindset of collaboration rather than competition and she strives to walk in that realization each day. She is currently working on her newest project, an events and marketing studio, where she helps entrepreneurs make money in their business through in person events and event sponsorships.
What motivated and inspired you to start your own business?
I had an ‘aha’ moment one day at my management job. I had just dealt with a tough situation and had to step out for some air. While outside, I realized that I hated my job even though it was what I thought was my dream job. I realized that I wanted to feel inspired every day. I wanted to create and I wanted to make an impact in the world. I knew that I could only do that if I worked for myself.
Tell us about your business.
I am an Event Income Strategist. I help emerging entrepreneurs and creatives make money in their business with events and event sponsorships. I also specialize in helping my clients create multiple sources of income through strategic planning and my 7 Step Purpose Identity System™. I’m am a motivational speaker and I speak about how I went from being homeless to helping people all over the world make money in their purpose driven business.
I spend most of my time on my Facebook page where I give free trainings (Facebook Live) on how to level up your income using in person events. I give you the strategies I use to have $10k+ events. If you want to learn more, like my page so you can be notified whenever I go live!
Are you currently running any promos/contests/giveaways that you would like our readers to know about?
Yes! I have a masterclass coming up called “The Event Income Strategy Masterclass” on November 10. Here is the link for the class bit.ly/EVEVENTINCOMESTRATEGYSEAT. When you sign up for the class you get some freebies such as:
- The Event Sponsorship Prep Checklist
- The Event Sponsorship Pitch Letter Checklist
- And The Event Income Strategy Think TANK Workbook (a workbook that helps you to create your profitable event!)
It’s a great class for you if you are struggling to get clients consistently in your business or if you are planning on launching a business, a product or a service and have no idea how to get the traction you need to have a successful launch. It’s good for you if you are just starting out or if you are an established brand who is maybe having a slow season in your business. I will be teaching all of things I’ve learned from doing events in the corporate sector, the government sector and the small business sector that has allowed me to have successful and profitable ($10K+) events.
List awards/certifications/accomplishments.
I have a grant writing certificate and have been trained in Sales and Marketing at a fortune 500 company. I also have trained in project management, event planning/coordination and branding.                Â
Where is your business based?
St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands.
What were the first few steps you took to get your business up and running?
Tons of research! I was like a stalker, looking for any new information out there on my market. I took about 6 months to research and train. After doing some research I enrolled in a branding course by one of my favorite coaches at the time and then an Instagram course shortly after. Once I completed those courses, I created my strategy and a 90 Day Plan.
What has been the most effective way of raising awareness of your business and getting new customers?
Speaking engagements and in person workshops/events I host. This was so unexpected for me. I have always sought to become an influencer on social media and had never considered hosting my own event. After being asked a few times to turn two of my online webinars into an in-person event, I reluctantly did it and was pleasantly surprised. My classes were sold out and we had so much fun!
My students had such amazing feedback and kept talking about how blown their minds were. My brand and what I do started spreading like wildfire and most of the clients I get here in the Virgin Islands are from word of mouth! After that I was asked to speak at my first speaking engagement and I enjoyed it. I am able to connect with my audience and they get to interact with me during and after my speech.
But the biggest thing that I noticed was that from my in-person events, I was able to book clients easily. This was something I really struggled with prior to those in person events. It has been one the most powerful and profitable tools in my business to date.
What have been your biggest challenges so far?
Distraction and procrastination. I get easily distracted and this causes procrastination.
How did you overcome these challenges?
I am a multi-talented and multi-passionate creative. I have millions of ideas floating around in my mind at any given time. I must be conscious of how I think and how I spend my energy. That’s why and how I became a strategist. Thinking and planning strategically has helped me to stop acting like a crazy person and get focused.
How do you keep motivated through difficult times?
My family (amazingly supportive husband and my two beautiful children) and my tribe. I have a duty to show my family that it’s worth it to live a life of purpose. I want my kids to grow up and choose purpose over what society says that they should do. I also know that there are people out there that are waiting for someone like me to live my purpose so that they can live theirs. With those things in mind, I keep pushing, no matter how painful it gets.
How do you distinguish yourself from your competitors?
I focus on my strengths and my experiences. I am a natural strategist, a creative and innovative thinker and I can see an individual’s purpose the minute they start speaking. When someone is talking to me about what they are passionate about or are sharing their life’s story with me, I come up with 3-5 business ideas or funnels that they can do before they are done talking. It’s a natural gift of mine.
I used to think that because I came up with ideas like an idea generator that I was supposed to start all those business ideas. I later realized that that was a gift that I had that helps people launch unique and profitable business ideas. This is one of the ways I stand out. Another way I stand out is by my knack for systems and processes. This is another natural gift of mine, I naturally see a way through the chaos of ideas or disorganization of thought or business processes and I can strategically create a path to organization and cohesiveness when it comes to process and systems.
I have been told by clients that those things set me apart from other coaching they were interested in working with. Another thing that sets me apart is that my coaching is results based. This means that I get paid based on results. When I work with a client I know I can get them results. I don’t believe in taking on a client if I am unsure that I can help them.
What is the best advice you have received recently?
That I need to understand that everyone has different priorities. I can’t get mad at someone if their priority is different than mine. It’s up to me to accept that or surround myself with people with similar priorities.
What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs?
Know that business is not easy. It’s not always going to be a bed of roses. So, do it from a place of service. Not from a place of ‘I want to make money only’.
What are your favorite business tools/resources and why?
Honestly listening to my books. I believe in the concept that we should constantly be learning. I invest in my self-education in the form of courses, classes, books, eBooks etc. So, when I am washing dishes (I don’t have a dishwasher! OHH the horror lol), driving or working in my office, I am always listening to a book on audible. I’m obsessed with that app. I can get my daily dose of education in while I work. I love it.
Another tool is google calendar. Google calendar saved my life. I don’t know what took me so long to get on board. This is a big deal for me because I am a paper planner kind of gal, but I can’t always have my big Inkwell Press planner with me, instead I always have my phone. So, I input my schedule in google calendar and it shows up on my phone.
It also works with Acuity (a scheduling system that I highly recommend for booking clients as you can have your clients answer a questionnaire to help you serve them the best that you can) so I’m always organized.
What is a good article or book you have read recently?
“How to Be a Bawse” by Lilly Singh… heart eyes emojis! I have re-read that book at least 20 times at this point and I bought it 2 months ago. Look her up, she is amazing. I’m not going to give out spoilers – go read it.
What are you currently learning about for your business or looking for help with?
I’m learning about growing my team. I need help building a team of people who are bomb at what they do. In the book, “How to be Bawse”, Lilly talks about having a team of people who are smarter than you are at what they specialize in doing. She talks about being a genius at what you do, but having people on your team who are genius at what they do.
I need some people on my team who are going to help me with causal world domination (I kid lol) but seriously, my goal is to expand my business. I would like to speak all over the U.S and eventually all over the world. I would like to act on some dreams I have had for the longest while and I know I can’t do it alone. I don’t want to do I alone. I think that is one of the biggest mistakes that we as business owners make, we try to do everything on our own.
What are your goals for the next few months and how are you striving to achieve them?
I have a few goals:
- Launch my first book. I have been working with an editor who is helping me with the final stages of self-publishing my book. It should be out in the next few months.
- Finish my second book. I got this book idea one day after a huge failure in my business and I am working on writing at least 4 chapters a week, it’s been going well.
- Launch “Cycle to of the Event Income Strategy Group Course” and Coaching Program
- Launch some masterclasses that I am SOOOO excited about! They are going to be lit! Â
What social media outlets do you use? List them below.
Instagram @gabrielletleonard
Facebook www.facebook.com/eventsandmarketingstudio
Website www.gabrielleleonard.com
Email gabrielle@gabrielleleonard.com
Hashtags #theinspiredroyal #iamaninspiredroyal #purposeonthejobchallenge