“Celebrate Small Wins to Gain Maximum Growth” with Alison Nissen

Photo Credit Kendall Nissen

Alison Nissen is co-founder of Revel Coach, an inspiration platform designed to mentor women in career transition which features the weekly live broadcast RevelCoach+. Alison is a professor at Southeastern University and a blogging consultant and coach with Branded Interviews. She is also the author of the Royal Palm Literary Award Gold Medal Winner Resolve, Courage, Hope, and host of the Florida Writer Podcast. Follow her Tales from the Laundry Room at alisonnissen.com.

Can you tell our readers about your background?

10 years ago, I applied for a promotion at the college in which I taught. I didn’t get the position because my competition had written a book. I was dejected.

A short time later, we moved from a city I knew well to one that felt like a squeaky new shoe. As much as I tried to fit in, life was a bit too tight in some spots and roomy in others. I decided it was time to focus on my own writing and I started an online blog titled “Tales from the Laundry Room.” Since then, I’ve become a ghostwriter and blog content strategist.

What inspired you to start your business?

As a professor, I’ve heard too many individuals (including myself) let doubt control their vision of success. I am challenged by dyslexia however, as a lover of words, I enjoy using words to tell stories. Now I call myself a storytelling coach. My passion revolves around helping others clarify their message to win business by telling their story, their way. So many people are word-shy: “I’m not good a writing,” “I hate sharing my story,” “Nobody wants to read what I have to say.” My goal is to change people’s perceptions of their own limitations.

What were the first steps you took?

I joined a local writer’s group to connect with other writers and to work on my craft. I discovered the world of ghostwriting in the process and thought, now, that’s a cool job! I sought mentorship, asking questions about what ghostwriters really do, how others started, how to acquire clients, and how to charge?

My first mentor challenged me with a strong question: Do you really want to be a ghostwriter?

What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?

As a professor of literature, I knew I could do it. A random email from a random stranger opened the door for me. “Can you write my story?” It was dark, detailed, historic. It involved murder, fire, courtrooms, and of course, tribulation.

I accepted Scott Headley’s challenge and together, we told the story of a killing rampage in the small Florida town of Lake Wales when one of his clients walked into his business with “a gun, duct tape, and gasoline. He demanded money, wrapped two women in tape, doused them with fuel, and flicked a lighter.” Resolve, Courage, Hope became an award-winning memoir and started me down the path of ghostwriting, for real.

What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?

Through word of mouth, I began to help others write their own books. Ghostwriting might have been a happy accident, but through my journey, I set out expectations for a career in writing.

I built a website, started a podcast (The Florida Writer Podcast: A discussion about writing and other thing), and became involved in various writers’ communities. Taking on leadership roles within the organizations helped me network as well as become an industry expert.

What's your favorite book? Why?

Jon Gordon’s Energy Bus expresses the idea of building a strong team to stay positive to win each day. The idea of celebrating small wins is huge. It is what helped me evolve. I was so focused on the outcome (lights, camera, best-seller) that I couldn’t see the proverbial woods for the trees. When I started to pay attention to the little things, the big things seemed easier.

What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?

My personal insecurity loomed larger than my vision. I needed someone who could help me align my actions, challenge me to grow in both career and personal development, and someone who could point out my small successes along the way. Finding an accountability partner helped me stay focused.

Who is your business role model? Why?

My sister became my accountability partner and mentor. She had just left her role as a high-level executive and wanted to start a new chapter, her own brand, her own company helping executive women within 18 months of maternity leave. She wanted to be the mentor she needed when she was that person.

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?

Together, we created a working relationship beyond our sisterhood. Our mottos became, “Maybe I Could” and “It’s Better Together.” Each time we’d talk, we realized how much development we both saw in our desires to grow our individual brands. We tapped into our personal networks to interview inspiring female accountants (what’s the best way to write off expenses?), marketing experts (how can I advertise my services?), or other entrepreneurs (what advice would you give your younger self?). 

We launched Revel Coach, a mentor platform, with the intention of sharing our interviews with other women who were also curious about entrepreneurship. Our live podcasts have become a way for us to celebrate other women in business while honing our own individual crafts. Not only have we created an interesting podcast, but also a network of women who love to share their journey with others.

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

After interviewing hundreds of women, we also developed The Revel Way. A four-step proven process to balance passion and profit: Create a Vivid Vision, Align Action, Develop a Growth Mindset, and Celebrate Joy. Celebrating the small wins is what keeps me focused. Many of the individuals we’ve interviewed have become my clients, not to ghostwrite their memoirs or novels, but to help them develop a blogging strategy that aims to capture their corner of the internet.

How do you stay focused?

Using the Revel Way, anyone can move from a place of confusion or stuck-ness to success. It starts with focusing on vision, not goals. What will I be doing one, three, or five years from now? What is my future self’s daily/weekly routine? What types of individuals are in her network?

Next, I consider the steps it takes to be that woman. What are the big steps (education, for example) and what are the smaller steps that she needs to achieve that vision?

Third, we need to be real. Growth hurts, they are called growing pains for a reason. Growing into this version of her will be challenging. That’s why step four is so important.

Step four is to celebrate joy. Pausing to celebrating each step along the way, I’ve discovered that my future self and I are almost there!

What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?

Joining a mastermind has been my favorite business resource. Success isn’t an end point, it’s a journey without a destination. If we achieve everything we want, there’s nothing left to look forward to. To stay focused and motivated, I’ve joined the Executive Mom Nest community. Every week, there is a mastermind that allows everyone to reconnect to their personal purpose, to remember the value they add to others.

What do you have planned for the next six months?

While I have been building my consulting business, I have also been writing a book. It uses the struggles and lessons I’ve learned from storytelling and dyslexia to inspire others to ask better questions and use the right definition of success. We all have a story to tell, but we don’t always tell the right story. The end of our tale is not yet written, so it’s important to enjoy the journey.

How do you balance work and life?

I like to focus on harmony rather than balance. When I think of balance, I imagine weights tied to the end of a bar. When I think of harmony, I envision a song with various parts. For example, sometimes I need to focus more on my family responsibilities while other times, I need to work on my social media campaigns or take a course to learn a new skill. By listening to the harmony of my life, I can be in tune with where I should focus my energy. 

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

Building a business can be tiring. Recently, I added meditation to my daily workout. I find that mediation helps me clear my mind of clutter so I can focus on my energy level. The biggest lesson I’ve learned is to enjoy the journey, not to judge it.

How can our readers connect with you?

The Revel Coach community has been my biggest why. Connecting and networking with others has allowed my business to grow in ways I never would have anticipated. For more information visit RevelCoach.com or to learn more about my own personal journey, visit AlisonNissen.com. I’ve experienced a crazy, unpredictable life and am grateful for each person I’ve shared it with.

Revel Coach Website www.RevelCoach.com

Alison Nissen Personal Blog www.AlisonNissen.com

LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/alison-nissen