Reframing Criticism with Sharon Bolt

Sharon Bolt is with us in this episode, and she’s talking about starting and growing a business. She is a business owner and has had to deal with her fair share of obstacles, but she uses the experiences to continue moving forward.

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On this episode of the Live. Love. Engage. podcast:

• What happened when Sharon got two puppies at the same time.
• How Sharon ended up on BBC radio.
• The reaction that Sharon got from the BBC audience.
• How Sharon approached the interview going into it.
• How Sharon dealt with the hate she got afterwards.
• Sharon’s turning point and how she reframed the experience of being criticized.
• How Sharon’s coaching experience helped her through it.
• What Sharon did get from the experience and why it was such an opportunity.
• What Sharon is working on right now.
• One thing that most people don’t know about Sharon.
• The first business that Sharon started.
• What inspired her to go big in business.
• What Sharon is most grateful for in her life.
• Why she loves being a business owner and working online.
• Sharon’s best practices for publicity.
• One tip that all dog owners need to know.

Connect with Sharon

Sharon’s Dog Training Website: www.good-dogs.co.uk

Sharon’s Publicity Website: www.getfreepublicitytoday.com

TRANSCRIPT

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TRANSCRIPT

[00:00:02] I am Gloria Grace Rand, founder of the Love Method and author of the number one Amazon best seller, Live Love Engage – How to Stop Doubting Yourself and start being yourself. In this podcast, we share practical advice from a spiritual perspective on how to live fully, love deeply and engage authentically so you can create a life and business with more impact, influence and income. Welcome to Live, Love, Engage. Namaste and welcome to Live, Love, Engage, I am Gloria Grace Rand and today I’ve got a guest on the show who is going to talk to us about growing a business. Well, a little bit. She’s she’s got a lot of experience in that, but more importantly, dealing with haters. And because I know if you have been involved in social media at all or just in any other aspect of life, sometimes there are people out there who are not too nice. And Sharon Bolt is our guest today as she has some experience in that subject. So first off, welcome to Live Loving Sharon.

[00:01:21] Namaste. Gloria, it’s so lovely to be here with you.

[00:01:25] Well, thank you. And and for those of you who are listening, I live in the United States, but Sharon is coming to us all the way from lovely England. She’s and I’m so grateful that she’s able to she’s just finishing her lunch. And I just finished my breakfast. But isn’t that wonderful that with Zoome we can do these things, so it’s awesome. So let me tell you, our listeners and viewers on YouTube a little bit about Sharon, and she is known as the mindset media expert. She helps business owners and entrepreneurs to get ongoing publicity so they can get in front of thousands or even millions of their dream clients as the go to authority in their niche. She also focuses on helping them to change their limiting beliefs, sabotage behaviors and negative expectations so they can attract the best media opportunities and feel confident and reach their full potential. And she’s able to do this because she has experience as an entrepreneur. She’s been a business owner for over 19 years. She’s done things like complimentary therapy, she’s done dog training and PR work, and she’s been on a lot of media. She’s been seen in TV and on radio shows, national, local newspapers and what have you. And and even a regular contributor to entrepreneur Dotcom. And she’s an author, too. She’s written a couple of books and been featured on BBC, TV and a couple of programs. So we may get into that as we go on. But the one thing that intrigued me when I first met Sharon for Facebook was the fact that she she was able to she got onto a radio show to talk about a new business that she hadn’t even launched yet and then had to deal with some haters. So tell us a little bit. Tell me tell our listeners and viewers a little bit about that story of how you

[00:03:29] Got onto BBC Radio pitching this idea, because I think that’s that’ll be fascinating for our listeners.

[00:03:38] Well, it actually started because I had my composite

[00:03:41] Complementary therapy practice. I helped people with Hapax, with Liberty believes sweet digestive disorders phase and phobias. That was really what my business was. And I had a thriving practice and everything was good. And then I got these two puppies, these two Parson Russell Terrier puppies, they were eight weeks old. And I was told by Simony Doctrine that it was the worst case scenario, that they would find the top dog position, that it get really nasty to have to be home one. And they literally do what they wanted. And I remember growing up just looking at these two puppies, and I said literally out loud, you two are not going anywhere. And I was on a mission. I was on a mission to create both puppies. You know, how could you choose a child? Isn’t it? You can’t choose. I was on this mission and it was about a year into space this time, and I was having great results in my puppies now dogs. So much so that I started to introduce conflict to my complementary therapy practice. People who had dogs. I started to do consultations with them. So I had no website, I had no subscribers, I didn’t have anything like that. But I just had this dream. I wanted to now transition and my passion to changed. And it wasn’t that I wanted to particularly want to change the world with complementary therapies any longer.

[00:05:16] I wanted to focus on dogs. Well, actually, it was actually the owners. I focus on somebody else to do. It’s failed. Absolutely. So I also had this dream I this pipe dream, you know, how was I going to get known? How was I going to transition? And then this one day I was. Into a national radio station here in the U.K., it was BBC Radio two, they have over six million listeners and I heard them say that they were looking to get a doctor, an expert on the show the following week. And they said that they were going to get something from the TV. And I thought, you know what? I could do that I could absolutely do that. I know that I have got a business, but I’m so passionate and I was getting great results and I just thought, I’m going to go for it. So I sat down and I wrote this email just to the general website address for the show. Nothing happened. So I carried on this name. And then what? It was about five, six days later that they were going to do this feature and that it was the next day or two they spoke about stocks and they called them podgy dogs. I thought, when I can talk about nutrition paddock’s, I know all about that.

[00:06:36] So in the subject line this time, I wrote Hot Dogs on Google, but I knew that that would get them to open. It was the show was humorous and I knew that was sure to get them to open it. And still I got nothing back. And then the third day it was the Friday and I, I was going to do the I think it was on the sidelines due to a consultation with somebody. And it was about a lady who had had two dogs when she went to work. They were literally in the house from the inside out and the push of the sofa, the carpet, the mattress in the bed, it was horrendous on women change things. And I explained why it happens and the plan of action. So when I came home for the weekend, I wrote another email about that, explaining why it happened. And I said, that’s OK. Well, the Monday morning the researchers called me. So this sounds really good. Anyway, two days later, I was sitting in in the BBC studios up in London speaking live to over six million listeners as adult, an expert. And yet I had the passion. I believed I could make a difference. I had something to give, but I didn’t have any of the credibilities or even the website.

[00:08:03] That is just amazing. So what was the reaction? I mean, later, I mean, even I can even imagine because I used to produce a business television show. But I’m wondering what what did the people even at the station think about this afterwards? And was anybody surprised and shocked that it’s like, OK, we put this woman on, but she doesn’t have this huge background, even though she has good, good ideas?

[00:08:30] Well, you might know this having the insights and Gloria, because they weren’t interested in me, know this is a big thing for people to put business on this and not to get offended by this, because journalists are not interested in, you know, not interested in your background, how long you’ve been in business, that your family business. And I want to know any of that. I just want to know that you have some great content, you’ve got the answers, and you can educate and entertain the audience. So not once was I even asked how long I’ve been in business. Dino and I always remember walking out to the studios and how I security and everything, and the research escorted me out of the building and we said it’s a show that was great. Your pace and time was great, that you did a great job. Thank you so much. And and and he was the one that actually that they mentioned that there was millions of listeners even gone there. I could have done that. And I said, well, I had set out an intention before I went on the show that I was going to be great. I was going to meet lovely people and they were going to be really lovely to me. And I was just going to sit there chatting to an old friend over at the table as if we was having coffee. And that’s exactly what I did.

[00:10:01] Oh, that’s perfect. And and that is so important because I’ve definitely learned about this and I mean, I’ve heard about it. But even in the last year, I’ve really been working at the power of setting. Intentions are so important to really visualize what it is that you want to the outcome to be and and then not having an attachment to it either, which I’m sure you probably did. You just went out and just said, OK, this is this is me and and you let it you let the everything materialise the way where you had envisioned it.

[00:10:34] Absolutely. Yes. And and I was. There to have fun, I was going to enjoy it, it was going to be a great opportunity that that was my mind set and I played, wouldn’t it? Well, I quit this game. I like wouldn’t it be lovely if not that wouldn’t it be awful if that went wrong and somebody asked you that question? No, this is the wouldn’t it be lovely if a game that I play and that’s what keeps me focused.

[00:11:01] I love it. But you did

[00:11:03] Run into some

[00:11:04] People who were not as thrilled with you. I guess so. So tell us a little bit about your experience with Heater’s as well.

[00:11:16] They escort me out of the building. The BBC were really pleased with with the interview I came walking down. In fact, I was skipping down the streets of London, high five in the air, and I was just, wow, you know, that was great. And and then I came home. I was on a high. And then that evening a friend said, oh, did you know that that people have been saying certain things about you on some forums? And so it came to light that. Yes. And not because people knew that I had no expertise to say that I hadn’t been in business for X amount of years. It wasn’t because of that. It was because nobody could really know that. But it was more about the way I spoke. They they were saying that my voice. So it was quite personal that I sounded like and that I didn’t really know what it was. I was that’s what they said, that I was teaching old dog training methods that was no longer valid. And it was just, you know, and a number of threats that was just ridiculing me and and just being mean.

[00:12:33] People are can be that way. And it is. So you have to learn to have a tough skin like this. But but how did you how did you handle it? What did what did you do about it? Think about it. Or did you just say that’s their problem?

[00:12:51] Well, it did. It did not my confidence grow for sure because I was on this high, I hadn’t even considered that there would be people that would be saying anything to the contrary of how how it was. You know, I did a good interview, the BBC. It said that it was great. So I had no no even consideration that that it would be anything other. So really not my confidence. And I I just felt like I’d done something wrong. I felt quite small. And I did think to myself, well, this would just be easier to stay small, stay under the radar. I’m not going to get judged and criticised because that hurts. Yeah. And and I’m you know, that would be so much easier. So I just actually sat with it really for probably two or three days. And then I think it was on that set. I woke up and I thought, hang on a minute, just hang on one minute here. Why would I let people that I don’t even know

[00:13:55] How

[00:13:56] My dream why would I even consider letting that happen? And that was it. That was the turning point for me. And I thought, you know what? Not everybody is going to like everybody. Not everyone’s going to pat you on the back. And yeah, OK. So I obviously I pushed some buttons for people. Maybe they would doctrine is that would have liked that opportunity. Maybe it was somebody that that wasn’t a dog trainer but would have liked to have been a dog trainer who has an opinion on that. Everyone has an opinion. That’s just how it is. And I thought to myself, you know what? I’m going to stand up. I’m going to dust myself off. I’m going to hold my head high and I’m going for it.

[00:14:39] That’s awesome. Yeah, that is so important because that’s that really is an important lesson for people in life in general, but definitely for entrepreneurs is that not everybody is going to want to buy what you have to sell. And that’s OK. You have to learn to be able to accept that and and know that there are people out there who do who do want what you have and who are going to like you. And just the key is to really like yourself

[00:15:09] And and

[00:15:10] I it sounds like you probably stepped back into the coaching that you would do for for other clients. You had to kind of go back and coach yourself a little bit, right?

[00:15:19] Absolutely. I did. That is so true. I did. I had to then start working again with my my belief patterns. And the other thing that I really realised, Gloria, is that I’m not going to wait for somebody else to validate me. I’m not. Going to wait for somebody to tell me it’s okay for me to do what I want, I’m going to be the one who says that I’m going to validate myself, and that’s that’s all I can ever do, even if it’s close friends and family. Even my husband, who was absolutely terrified of the fact that I was going to be interviewed on national radio when I had no prior media experience and no business. So that I understand I get that that would put a few people out of their comfort zones. And I thought, you know what, that is not going to hold me back. This is my passion. This is my dream. This is what I want to do and I’m going for it.

[00:16:18] Awesome. And then you won’t have so. So you want to be coming then. A dog trainer. Right. And how long did you do that?

[00:16:25] How many years were doing that? Or are you still even doing some of that work?

[00:16:29] Well, the great thing was, Gloria, is that one interview now Boundy mind, I wasn’t set up at all. So I had a page. I quickly developed a page on my complementary therapy website. But truthfully, I got no business, no business at all from from that interview. And so obviously, I tell people today, always try and set up and get get set up if you can. However, don’t miss out on an opportunity that was a one off opportunity if I had to go for that, that I haven’t been aware of the opportunity coming up again. So you you have to take that opportunity and your website doesn’t have to be perfect or anything. But ideally, in an ideal world, you would be set up. So one thing that it really did do for me is because it was national media. It I mean, all my marketing, I was put in as heard on BBC radio, it opened doors for me. It launched and was such an easy transition for me into my dog training business. Now, that was let’s say that was I would be about 14 years ago now. And it was because I then continued to get so much media attention that I, you know, business owners, precisely what are you doing? How do you do it? And so I started to create courses on publicity. So that was a very easy, smooth transition to a nowadays. What happens is I’ve created dog training, online courses, and they sell all over the world. And then I also have my publicity business to online publicity courses.

[00:18:11] That’s good for you. And I think that’s something also important to let people know that you can have two passions and you can still you can serve people in different ways, because I know that’s something that I had been wrestling with, frankly, for about the last couple of years, because for the longest time, I was just focused on doing copywriting writing content for businesses, for their websites. And and you have there’s been this other side of me that wants to do more coaching and things like that. And I’ve been and I even got into doing some health coaching. So trying to figure out, well, how do you how do I fit this all in together and do I give up one and focus on the other? And I finally realized what it’s OK. I can actually coach people. And then if they need help with their website, I have that tool, my tool box to offer them it’s perfect.

[00:19:04] Goes hand in hand for you, doesn’t it? Yeah, I think well what I found with my business is obviously because mine was so different of training and publicity, it was, it was A B to C business and the B2B business. So it was it was a very different target market and everything. So I initially focused and that’s when the early days when I was so passionate about the dog training and I was getting so much media success that I was creating the courses. I in fact I produce I got I hired a production company that we created for dog training DVD and also a DVD for people who wanted to become a professional dog trainer. So they were already up and running. And then of course, from that those DVD, I had all of the the sections sectioned off so I can then create the online courses so that that takes care of itself. Now, I, I really don’t have to focus much on that. That’s a really lovely passive income business for me. I did all the work up front and now I focus predominantly on my publicity business and with business owners and entrepreneurs.

[00:20:19] That’s awesome. Well, tell us a little bit about that. So so how do you work with with people? Do and and do you work with all types of entrepreneurs or just tell us a little bit about that.

[00:20:32] Yeah, I do. With small business owners and. Just people that that want to get visible, people that want to be able to stand out from the crowd, you know, OK, we can be on Facebook and we can be on Instagram and places like that, but getting publicity puts you in a whole different level of credibility. You know, it’s like the media are endorsing you. It’s very, very powerful. So, yes, I work with entrepreneurs and business owners. I have an eight week course that I do with people and I’m just about to release. I haven’t got it all completely finished yet, but I’m actually going to start to have an elite program where I’m just going to work with a very small elite number of people. And these will be entrepreneurs that really want to go for it. And I’m going to personally do the publicity for them. I’ve been asked so many times to do this and I’ve always said I’m not. The time is not right. I’m busy with other things. But this year that’s when I’m going to start to do that.

[00:21:39] Oh, good. That’s awesome. Well, congratulations on that, because it’s it’s stepping up in a bigger way for yourself. So good for you. Tell us a little bit. Let’s see, because we’ve covered a lot of stuff because your very first a woman.

[00:21:57] But is there any thing

[00:21:59] That maybe one thing that most people do not know about you?

[00:22:04] Well, I think because obviously people know me. If a doctor I mean, they know me full for the publicity. Some people don’t know anything about my complementary therapy business. And I think that one thing that people are quite shocked about is that I actually in those days when I was very much into the self development, I still am, to be honest with you. I and Gloria, I love all of that. And but I went on a four week spiritual pilgrimage across India. Oh, wow. And it was just phenomenal. You know, we it was like that plane, was it planes, trains and automobiles. And we stayed in ashrams and we stayed in five star hotels. And it was just just totally phenomenal. There was there was about seventy five of us, a therapist. We’re all therapists. And it was just it was all organized and everything. And that actually was the turning point for me. I came home and I had always wanted to stay quite small, you know, with my complementary therapy business. I was I didn’t want to get publicity on it was it was a thriving business. It was all word of mouth. I never advertised. It was it was really good. And I got a good income from it. And it was so good I wasn’t wanting to change. It was a working well. And then I came home from this spiritual pilgrimage. And then suddenly I wanted to get out, that I wanted to go big. And I thought it was about complementary therapies at the time. Little did I know it was going to be about dog training. But I just followed my intuition and my passion. And that’s this is where it’s taken me.

[00:23:47] That’s amazing. I would love to do something like that. That sounds like it was a phenomenal trip. And and it makes perfect sense that really immersing yourself in something like that and really getting aligned with your higher self and spirit, that it just can open up new doors for you. And so that was really, really cool. Thank you. Is there. Well, actually, let me ask you this, because I know one of the things I, I teach people is about the importance of gratitude and having an attitude of gratitude. So what are you most grateful for in your life?

[00:24:28] I do. You know what? I’m so grateful of being a business owner. I’m grateful that I get up when I like. I go to bed when I like, like do what I like. I’m grateful that I’m the boss of me. I’m grateful that I can take my dog out for a walk whenever I want to. I’m just grateful that I’m in charge of my life and I’m so grateful for all the clients that come my way and my thriving businesses. I’m just grateful for my life. I love life,

[00:24:57] All of that. That’s and I I agree with you 100 percent because I used to work for an employer for years. But but owning my business now for the last 11 years, it really is wonderful to be in control of your destiny and to have the freedom to decide to do something else. And now I’m even hearing my dog scratching on the door. But. Oh, goodness. Has let me ask you one other question and has been this past year, we’ve been dealing with the pandemic and everything has that has that impacted you personally and or your business?

[00:25:44] Yes, I think because I had prior to 20, 20 had already become everything online anyway. So, you know, and I had been doing podcast interviews. I had I mean, media interviews, so many unless it is on TV where you perhaps go to the studio, although that’s changed. Now, that was never the case because I always had to be high quality and everything. But now, of course, now it’s like sitting at home like this, like we’re doing. And that’s all acceptable now. So I think that’s been a huge positive for 20, 20. And to be honest with you, and it hasn’t impacted me because I was online, I think had had I been doing lots of dog training, home consultations or doing more to ones with people, I’m meeting them. That would have obviously affected me a lot more. But if anything, it it didn’t it didn’t touch my business because I was already set up and I could still reach people and people would look in if if anything, more. So there wasn’t that option of meeting to one to one with people. So they were looking for online courses. It’s been a huge surge of sales increase for people that that offer online courses because of the pandemic.

[00:27:09] Very good. Well, I wanted to ask you two things. Number one is if someone wants to be able to learn about you, certainly learn about either dog training courses or the publicity side of your business, what is the best way for people to reach you?

[00:27:28] Well, if I want to learn about the dog training, my website is good Hyson Dogs Dot Dot UK. And if I’d like to know more about the publicity business and there’s a free training. So if if people would like more from what we’ve been able to cover here today, there’s a free training, free webinar for people on my website they can sign up for, and that website is Get Free Publicity today, dot com, that’s all. One word, get free publicity today, dot com.

[00:28:02] All right, awesome. I will have that information in the show notes. So if you’re listening, I can’t I don’t have a pen handy. I will have that for you. So you’ll be able to get that information. And I am really glad that we were able to connect and to share your story with our listeners and viewers today. I really had a pleasure talking with you. Is there any other last minute bit of advice or anything you would like to impart? Yeah. Any other last parting words?

[00:28:37] Certainly. I’d like to give a publicity tip to people. We’ve spoke a lot about mind set, so I’m going to give the publicity tip to people. So I’m going to tell you what the number one most the worst thing as a business owner, entrepreneur, the biggest mistake we can make when we’re trying to pitch wherever is we want to be newspapers, magazines, or whether it be anything online is when you do the pitch. Always my case all about them. So it’s how you can help them, what you can do for them, how you can can educate and entertain their audience, not about you. That’s what people get wrong. They start talking about them, their credentials, how long they’ve been in business, that type of thing. And as I said earlier, the Jets are not interested. So unless you get their attention and take their boxes because their job is to give good, good content is to give education and entertainment to their audience. So who you are is very much secondary to what you can offer them. So always make it all about them and how you can help them. And you’re very much secondary from that.

[00:29:56] Absolutely. That is absolutely spot on advice because I periodically, at least a couple of times a week, we’ll get get these emails from people saying, oh great guess idea for live love, engage. It’s like, OK, that’s nice. But I’m more interested in, as you say is what is the going to teach or tell me about how is it going to benefit me. I don’t necessarily just I’m going to just take you because you’re. You say that you’re wonderful, but what exactly do you have to offer, it’s remembering with him what’s in it for me, and that’s that’s me, not you. That’s not the pitcher, but the pitcher. The pitcher. I guess you can say so. Well, thank you so much for being here today. And I really appreciate you sharing all of your wonderful advice. Oh, you know what? I’m going to have to pick your brain one other time, though,

[00:30:55] So I

[00:30:56] Know you have any water. You want to take a bath? I would just take a quick save everyone. Yeah, because. Because as an owner of two dogs, I’m sure there’s a lot of listeners out there. Do you have one either one mistake dog owners make or one on tip that that dog owners make or absolutely do.

[00:31:18] The thing to remember, when we give attention to our dogs, we are rewarding our dog for whatever that behavior is. So whether it’s good detention or bad detention, indifferent attention, we are rewarding our dogs. And so often we’ll given attention to dogs when they’re doing something, a behavior we don’t want them to do. So wherever you can, if it’s an unwanted behavior, if it’s possible, ignore it, give them nothing for that behavior. So walk away, walk in the other room. And then when they’re doing the behavior that you want them to do, just fussing with with my dog, we have a rescue dog now because my two little puppies grew up and sadly, they have now in heaven and with with the two puppies that we had and our rescue dog. Now I’m constantly telling him what a good boy is when he’s calm and relaxed. He’s not doing anything. He’s just calm and relaxed. So I’m praising him for that state of mind. So always give attention to your dog when you when you want to encourage the behavior and state of mind that your dog is in.

[00:32:27] Ok, I have to remember that because I do my dogs, sometimes I do like to bark and sometimes it just starts to really drive me crazy. And then I yell at them to stop barking and that isn’t helping. So I started training is really training the training.

[00:32:42] The owner of that small USPI. Don’t try. These are really focused on the dog owner. First I say to people, dogs are easy. It’s the owners that I need to focus on.

[00:32:53] Absolutely. Absolutely. All right. Well, thank you for that. I appreciate that. And thanks for being here today.

[00:33:01] It’s my pleasure. It’s been so lovely chatting to you. Thank you for having me on your show.

[00:33:06] My pleasure, Sharon. Absolutely. And thank you. Who has been out there who are listening and watching. I appreciate you. And as I close the program today, as always, I encourage you to go out there and live fully, love deeply and engage authentically.

[00:33:26] Did you know that a majority of entrepreneurs tend to discount the importance of their work and a good number feel their success is simply due to luck? I know from personal experience that self-doubt can keep you from having the kind of life and business you desire. That’s why I’ve created a free guide called Uniquely Knew how to move from self-doubt to self-love in four simple steps to claim your free guide. Go to live, love, engage dot gift. That’s live love. Engage dot g-i-f-t.