The Jilly Academy Alumni community continues to impress the heck out of me! I always get so excited to check in to see how their progress is going as they make their way through the courses. And now that we’re officially in summer mode, I can’t wait to connect with this community even more and am so looking forward to what the summer has in store! One of the ways I want to stay connected is by continuously reaching out to the Alumni members to get a glimpse into their journey of where they started and how implementing their learnings has affected their businesses so far.
I also checked in with other Jilly Academy Alumni last month, so if you missed hearing their inspiring journeys then click here!
I’d like to introduce you to our first Alumni member, Stephanie of @spvliving!
What industry are you in?
I am a former teacher and now I am a full-time home design and lifestyle blogger.
Which course(s) did you purchase?
All three!
The biggest takeaway from the course(s)?
Course One: The Brand Strategy – The biggest takeaway from the Brand Strategy was having a clear understanding of my business mission statement, values and who my target audience is. I’ve done masterminds before but having it all explained in this way, and in addition to the amazing workbook, I’ve been able to push past a lot of pain points in my business.
Course Two: The Content Creator – I was so excited for this course as a content creator myself. The biggest takeaway from this course for me was seeing behind the scenes of the Team Jilly brand, learning about the strategy and work that goes into creating high-quality content that your audience and brands want to see! I was so inspired and motivated to go out and get to work!
Course Three: The Growth Accelerator – The final course and the course that put all the pieces together in my experience. I know I was at a point where I wanted to create something bigger than just a little blog. I know I want to create a team behind my Media Company business and I am armed with all the knowledge.
At the end of the day, these courses have become such an essential part of my business today. I am always referring back to the workbooks (which in my opinion I would have paid SOOO much money for alone!!), and when I need reassurance, motivation, or inspiration I am always re-watching some of the videos in the course.
One major WIN since implementing your learnings?
I just signed a contract for not only a year long partnership, but that contract will mean I have matched my teaching salary as of September of this year!
What would you tell someone who is considering taking the Courses?
I have told so many of my close friends and even some of my readers that it is one of the best things I have done for myself and my business. I have taken so many courses over the years and I always felt like I had been left with more questions than before I started. But with The Jilly Academy, I have finally filled in the missing pieces, the curtain has been lifted and we are now able to see an honest and exclusive look behind the scenes of the Jillian Harris brand and team! I really appreciate everything Jill and Team Jilly have done to share this insanely valuable information with us all!
Introducing the next Alumni member, Marcia of @marciagroverealty!
What industry are you in?
Real Estate. My husband & I are both realtors in Waterloo Region, Ontario.
Which course(s) did you purchase?
I purchased the bundle without hesitation!
The biggest takeaway from the course(s)?
I’m still on Course Two: The Content Creator. Biggest takeaways so far: from the first course is ‘determining our brand positioning’ & ‘understanding the you behind your business’. This is so helpful! Starting here makes total sense. Before your customers can understand what you’re about and decide if they want to be part of your world, you first have to know what you’re about so they will be able to tell from your feed, especially in the first few posts. This was a challenge as we sell real estate and not something we thought of before. We aren’t selling something tangible like a product. It really helped us to think deeper, beyond what we do and dig into why we do it, how it impacts people’s lives, the type of people we enjoy helping the most & how we want to get our message out there to attract more of those ideal clients. Beyond posts about another house sold…that gets boring as every realtor does that, this really helped us to think bigger. In Course Two so far the brand themes have been the biggest takeaway (I’m on module 8 so far). This has helped us so much in coming up with what content to create and share based on what we’re about. It helped me understand my main interests. This is so helpful when it comes to content as it simplifies things. Knowing the 3-5 interests/things that make us tick is so helpful. LOVE this!
One major WIN since implementing your learnings?
Thinking before I post. Checking first if the pics are in line with our branding & brand voice, and how they live with the other posts in my feed. Also, even though we don’t partner with brands, the idea of a brand check list is helpful in that we will make our own and use it when it comes to partnering with affiliates such as; mortgage brokers, home inspectors, contractors, home stagers etc to ensure they’re in line with what we’re about. This is crucial as who we recommend to our clients is an extension of us therefore, those affiliates need to be in line with our branding and our values to ensure the best experience for our clients.
What would you tell someone who is considering taking the Courses?
Whatever your business is, this course is so helpful in helping you understand what you and your business is about, and what message you want to put out into the world. This is crucial if you wish to attract a certain clientele/demographic to do business with.
Thank you to Stephanie and Marcia for bringing us along for the ride in their journey thus far, we are so honoured to have them as part of the Alumni community! School may be out for the summer here at The Jilly Academy, but stay tuned for July 14th as we are launching something VERY EXCITING that you won’t want to miss! Make sure you sign up for our Jilly Academy newsletter to stay in the loop!
Xo
Jilly
