Episode #55 Creative Ways to Make More Money with Cheryl Phan
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Michelle Fox: Welcome to Nourish. I am Michelle Fox Culinary Nutritionist, health coach, and your host for this podcast. I teach a busy professionals, how to get more nutrition in their bodies. And how to have more fun in their home kitchens. If you struggle with consistency. Or sometimes forget to make your needs a priority.
You, my friend are in the right place. Join me each week for inspiration to increase your energy. Strengthen your mindset, manage your hormonal woes and so much more. You have a lot on your plate, but that does not mean your nutrition should suffer. You deserve to live in a body and have a life that you love.
So let's dig in! I was recently with a friend [00:01:00] who happens to be over 50, just like me, your girl, you know, I'm super proud of the fact that I turned 50 last November. And we were talking about how this is the time in our life that yes, we
have perimenopause, we have menopause, and a lot of the kind of darker sides come up in conversations like the hot flashes, the belly bloats, the night sweats, all of that, which, of course, you can go look at my digital guide at michellefox.com. Is it hot in here or is it just me? And you can get a lot of steps
to heal some of those issues. However, my conversation with my girlfriend, we were turning it to the light as in, let's talk about how many beautiful things happen during this time of our life. We came up with things Like, you know, now that we are over 50, we feel more confident. We
understand the power of saying [00:02:00] no, and that no is a complete sentence. We are engaging and attracting other women over 50 who have similar experiences. And we've been creating communities left and right, which feel amazing. And there's just a certain confidence that comes with knowing where you've been.
Knowing where you're going and maybe even having questions in that area, but just have a little bit more confidence and knowing who you are. And so it is in that spirit that I am so happy to introduce you to a new friend. Her name is Cheryl Phan, and I want to let you know a little bit about her before we jump into conversation.
You're going to really dig this one. So Cheryl's professional journey began in the fast paced world of radio and TV sales, where she worked as the director of non-traditional revenue for Infinity Broadcast, CBS TV and a Fox [00:03:00] television. Her job was to find large businesses that never spent money on media advertising and create campaigns to generate new revenue for the TV and radio station.
It didn't take long before Cheryl generated over a million dollars in sales working with corporations like Hershey's, Budweiser, Switzerland Cheese, Publix grocery stores and other big name companies. After years of hustle and burnout, I think we can all relate to that one, she decided to ditch the corporate life and follow her own passion and started a decorative painting business.
That sparked a major transformation in her life. Cheryl poured her heart and soul into her new business, honing her skills and making it a success. As her business grew, people took notice and started seeking her advice. Cheryl's drive for financial and time freedom led her to innovate and expand her [00:04:00] business, creating multiple streams of income.
Yes. And amen and Cheryl didn't stop there. She found a new calling in coaching and mentoring others, particularly women and small business owners. Now, Cheryl dedicates herself to empowering others, guiding them toward their own financial freedom. Cheryl, welcome to the show.
Cheryl: Well, thank you. Welcome. I'm so happy to be here.
So happy.
Michelle: It is a privilege to have you here. I know just a little bit about what I've learned of you online and a few of our conversations on Instagram. You are a force to be reckoned with my new friend. I know this conversation is going to help a lot of people who are listening to us. Before we get into the juicy gems of the heart of this conversation, I want to invite you to play a game of [00:05:00] rapid fire.
Are you open?
Cheryl: I guess so.
Michelle: That's the spirit. That's the spirit. I promise. Let's let's start with a softball. When I say the words sweet, salty or savory. Which one lands for you?
Cheryl: Sweet. I have a sweet tooth.
Michelle: You're not alone on that one. How about this? When I say the word freedom, Can you think of a synonym?
Cheryl: Freedom. Hmm. I find freedom and having my own business and doing my own thing. I, I have lived a life of the corporate world and I've lived a life of being an entrepreneur. And to me, being an entrepreneur is freedom.
It's a freedom to just do whatever you want, when you want, live your life the way you want to live it. So yeah, that's how I look at freedom.
Michelle: I am so excited to jump into [00:06:00] that conversation. But before that one last question, or would you be willing to share with us a childhood memory in the kitchen.
Cheryl: In the kitchen.
Well, the first thing that comes to my mind. childhood memory in the kitchen was making cakes with my mom and I can vividly remember sitting on a stool while my mom was sitting there making the cake and we were talking and I had to memorize all the books of the Bible. And the reason why I had to do that was because if I learned how to do that back in the day, I went to a little church where you got to ring the church bell, you know, the big rope that you pull down and that was like a big deal.
So I was so excited about learning all the books of the Bible so that I could ring that church bell on Sunday morning, and it was all during the time I was actually in the kitchen cooking with my mom. So that is the very first thing that comes to my mind. [00:07:00] How,
Michelle: amazing. So safe to guess you were able to ring that church bell.
Cheryl:
I did. Yeah. I, I, you know, it's funny though. I don't remember all the books of the Bible to this day, but all of them at that time, I can probably do the whole new Testament, but I really can't do the old Testament anymore. But I do remember that, that moment of sitting in the kitchen with her and reading off this, you know, all the books of the Bible.
And yes, I got to ring the church bell. It was so cool. You know, I it only like 11 years old. So it was a big deal to me. That
Michelle: is a big deal. And it also speaks to your entrepreneurial spirit in the early days. So let's jump in there. Like when we talk about freedom, you talked about immediately your entrepreneurial journey and I know on your website, it shows that you help other women with their entrepreneurial journey.
How did you even come to understand and or appreciate? Entrepreneurship. [00:08:00] You know, I
Cheryl: look back on my life, and I was a stay at home mom up until my kids were probably in their teens, and I ended up, I got a divorce, so I had to go get a J O B, and I didn't know what I was going to do. I wasn't qualified for anything, because I didn't work.
So I decided I would go back to college, or actually go to college, in mass communication. So I wanted to work in radio TV. So I went to college, got a degree in mass communication. It literally took me two years to get a job because nobody would hire me for one of my age.
I was close to 40 at the time and it took me two years to finally get a job. Finally, somebody did hire me in a radio station. I took that job for a measly 25, 000 a year because I was so desperate and I took the job. But the great thing is it taught me how to be an entrepreneur in, in a sense, because I learned how corporate worked.
So I built, you know, I worked up the corporate ladder. I ended up leaving the radio station, went over to work for CBS. Then I left there and went to work for Fox [00:09:00] TV. So I thought this is what I wanted. This is what I had to do to raise my kids by myself. I needed an income coming in. So I took these jobs and after eight years of being in the corporate world, and even now, you know, I was making six figures a year in that business.
I had all the bells and whistles that they could give you. I had my own office. I had unlimited expense account. I was going to all of the, you know, the, the concerts and the, you know, sitting in box seats with everybody. I mean, everyone thought this is the dream job. And it really was. Although after eight years, it was burnout.
I was working 60 hours a week. And I just, I'd sit at work, and I would sit there and think about painting my furniture. Just go, I'm going to go home and paint my furniture. And I just thought one day, I said, you know what, I can't do this anymore. I'm going to quit. I just walked away from the job. I didn't have anything else to back me up.
I said, I'm going to start this, you know, painting business, this furniture painting business, which I really honestly had no clue how to do. I borrowed 800 dollars from a friend of mine to go take a class to learn how [00:10:00] to do this. And then fast forward 20 years later, I still owned this business. So in the course of these 20 years, I learned a lot.
I learned how to get the business going. Then I had to learn social media because that's where everybody was. So I started dabbling in the social media, got on Facebook. Then I got on Instagram. Now I'm on YouTube. So I started doing all these things and the business kept growing. So people kept coming to me and ask me, well, you know, other, my competitors really asked me, well, how are you doing this?
How did you, you know, how are you posting like this? And how did you know how to set that up? And. I started like telling them how to do it, but I thought, you know what? I'm going to start a group because I can't just do one off teaching people. So I started a, a group called Empowering Women, and this is where I help women take their hobby or the thing that they love to do and turn it into a business.
And, that's what I'm doing now. I'm just teaching other women, and I specifically like teaching women 50 plus. And the reason why I can look back on my life and think, okay, I was almost 40 [00:11:00] years old before I got a job. And I remember on that job, that radio job, somebody came up to me and said to me, don't you think you're a little too old to be doing this?
Stop. I'm now 65 years old. So this was 25 years ago before, you know. That was kind of taboo right now, right? But it wasn't. Then people, someone said that to me and I thought, well, I don't know. I need a job. So I was almost 40 years old when I started working in radio and tv. I was close to 50 before I actually started my decorative painting business.
And never hard to help other women do the same thing, because I hear so many stories of women, I don't know what to do, and they're taking jobs, working in the mall, standing on their feet all day long, working for minimum wage. Working weekends and holidays or, you know, some of them, I even know a lady who had to take a job working at Walmart as a greeter, just to supplement her incomes, her social security, and it saddens me because I'm thinking, gosh, you have so much talent.
People have hidden talents they don't even know they have. [00:12:00] So I helped them find their hidden talent, find a hobby or something they did in their life that they can turn that into a business.
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Michelle: I love that you're coaching women and having them use their talents to make money.
That's definitely one of my values. I, I. Always say that if I weren't doing culinary nutrition, I'd probably be a finance coach because I really believe we should all be wealthy because
when you teach a woman a skill, she tends to bring that back to the community and shares and raises other people up as you are with your coaching. When you teach a man a skill, it's typically he's taking care of himself and often, hopefully his family as well. But I just so love that you have a heart to bring up other women as well.
And [00:14:00] so with that, can you give us an example of perhaps maybe one of your most recent students who had a hobby and turn that into a business where she's actually making money from something that she loves?
Cheryl: Yeah, you know, and it. I always tell people, it doesn't matter what age you are, you can start your own journey, no matter what age you are.
And I had a woman reach out to me, six months ago. She's 81 years old, and she was still working. And believe it or not, she was working in a nursing home, helping other people younger than her. And she reached out, she said, Cheryl, I just can't do this anymore. I'm, I'm getting too old. I can't lift people up and help them down the stairs and whatever.
I need to figure out a way to make some money because she goes, I quite frankly cannot live on my social security. I've got to work. So after doing a discovery call with her and finding out what her hidden talents were, we found out that she loves to paint on canvas. So she sent me a couple of pictures and I'm looking at these going,
oh my gosh, they're beautiful. Why don't you [00:15:00] sell these pictures and she goes, I have no idea how to even get started. I don't know what to do. She's 81. She did not do social media or any of that stuff. So I guided her through the process and showed her how to do that. And her first two sales were guests to who you're going to die.
Tell me. We sold her first two paintings to the nursing home where she was working. Three months later, she quit her job, and now she's selling her artwork. She reminds me of, what is the, Grandma Moses, right? Remember Grandma Moses? She didn't even start painting since she was almost 90. I think she made her first...
you know, 100, 000 or something when she was like over 90 years old. So it doesn't matter how old you are. Everybody was born with a God given talent and you just got to figure out what that is. And it doesn't have to be painting or painting furniture or canvas or making jewelry, but everyone has something that they've done in their life.
I have another student who said, you know what I love? She goes, I love to organize. Her house was like, she's an organized queen. So I said, why don't you [00:16:00] start a business organizing other people's homes? You can do that online as well. So she started at the start of the business organizing and this way, she didn't have to go take a job at the mall or standing at the grocery store, bringing up groceries with someone, you know, making minimum wage, because if you really do the math on that, if you're making minimum wage, you're literally making about 400 a week minus taxes, about 350 a week, that doesn't even touch
what it costs her to live every month. So now she's doing this business and she's making three times more than if she went to work for somebody else. So, yeah, I love helping women do that because we're talented. We have so much knowledge that we don't give ourself enough credit for that.
Michelle: And you mentioned, I want to go back a step.
Because I think a lot of people who may be listening might be in this boat, which is the social media that you mentioned, like you found courage to learn a lot of the systems. In fact, I'm looking at your website now and I see you're like [00:17:00] on all the channels. So how did you find the courage to put yourself out there?
Cheryl: Well, I started out with Facebook and it was funny because when I first started with Facebook, it was just going to put pictures up there so the kids could see them and whatever. And I remember my kids making fun of me. They're like, mom, you can't do that. Oh, that looks really dumb. Gotta to take that down.
You got to misspell the word in there. Like they were criticizing me all the time, but I figured out how to use Facebook and then Instagram popped up. So I said, let me go on Instagram. I just put in the time and I figured all these things out. I'm on YouTube and all the different channels, but I realized that social media was going to be a big part of my business because in my decorative painting business, I was a local business.
So I only worked with people in my surrounding area. So I live in South Florida. So in the summertime, all the northerners go home, we call them snowbirds. And when they leave, our business is really slow. And I'm like, now what do I do? One month I could have a $10,000 a month. Next month I could have a zero month.
And [00:18:00] I thought, I can't do this anymore. I've got to be able to reach more people. So that's where I went online. I started posting my stuff. And then, you know, I'm like, how am I going to... work with these people in other states. I couldn't, you know, I'm not going to fly to their house. So say someone wanted their garage door wood grained, right?
That's one of our services. How am I going to do this? So what I did one day, I was at a client's house. I was painting a garage door and I thought, you know what? Why don't I just videotape myself doing this and then I can sell the video. So I thought that was a light bulb moment. So here I am out there with a tripod and just my cell phone and I'm out there painting this garage door.
I'm talking about what I'm doing. I'm just giving them the step by step. People were walking by with their dogs sitting there watching me. You know, the garbage guy came by was making all kinds of noise. So I had to stop for a minute. You know, then the gardenist showed up. It was, it was a hot mess, but I got the video done.
And I started selling that video on my website. And guess what? Seven years later, I'm still selling videos I [00:19:00] made seven years ago, six, seven years ago, and I'm still selling videos. I thought, wow, this is really cool. Let me figure out some more ways to do this. So then I started thinking, okay, maybe I should start blogging and I got a website.
So I started blogging and in order to make money doing that, I would put affiliate links in there. I would show them step by step what I'm doing. So here's the products I use, put affiliate links in there and they're clicking on those links. They're buying the products. And next thing I know, I have money coming into my bank account
from affiliate sales. And I'm to now 10 different revenue streams that I added to my existing business without changing a thing. And, you know, coaching is one of them. I have a coaching group. I have, courses that I teach. I have my empowering women's group. So I just want to teach people, listen, you didn't take that one thing that you love to do and you can make multiple streams of income from it, sitting at home, doing the thing you love.
And you can get off your feet, stop working on [00:20:00] weekends and holidays when you can be spending time with your family. So I just love teaching people how to do this. It's just something I've been doing for eight years. I put my heart and soul into it and it's really paying off.
Michelle: So tell us more about your group coaching program.
And in particular, my one question out of the gate is, do you teach people in this program how to get paid by affiliate links as well?
Cheryl: Yes,
so I have a couple of different things. I have a, a course called first things first, turn your hobby into a business in 30 days. And that walks them through the whole process and start to finish to get legit.
then I just, I have a new course I just created. It's called, The Roadmap to Revenue. And that's where I teach people who already have an existing business, how to add 10 additional revenue streams. To that business, but a lot of people aren't there yet. So my coaching business and my, my coaching group is called empowering women and every month they come into the group and I teach them something new.
We talk about marketing, [00:21:00] how to build an email list, how to set your Facebook page, your Instagram page, how to, you know, find customers on Pinterest and all the different platforms. So I walk them through the process on how to, build a business on social media, So it's, it's a, it's amazing.
We've got a group of beautiful women in there. They're all learning together and they're all in different stages, but it's, you know, it's evolving all the time, as you know, and social media changes all the time. So this is a group where I keep them updated on social media trends and, you know, things that are happening in social media, you know, changes and stuff like that.
So yeah, it's a great group. It's a great way to just learn how to make extra money. And I do teach affiliate marketing in there as well.
Michelle: How wonderful. And if somebody's listening right now who's like, okay, like, let, let me add it. Do you have open enrollment? Can people enter when they want to?
Cheryl: Actually, I keep that, I keep that open.
And, I can give you a link if you'd like, and I'd love to offer [00:22:00] your listeners, a discount. So the group is 47 a month, but I would love to give you a link to give them, an opportunity to come in and test the waters for 4. 99.
Michelle: Oh, that’s so very generous of you. Absolutely. Yes. We, we will, we'll accept this generous gift from you.
Cheryl:
Yeah. And yeah, and you know, when you come in, there's no contract, there's no nothing to come and go. Would you please, you know, if you don't wanna stay in the group, you can leave. If you wanna stay in the group we're more than happy to have you in there. And I can help you take your, the thing that you love to do, whether it's, you know, making jewelry, or painting furniture or painting canvas.
I have another girl in there who does a dog sitting business. So she's learning how she does what she wants. She watches dogs all day long. So we're showing her how she can take that business and make extra money, online with her dog sitting business as well. So it doesn't matter what you're doing. You can be coaching or anything.
it's all the same process, basically.
Michelle: I'm so excited. Okay. Well, [00:23:00] we'll absolutely put that link in the show notes so that our listeners get that very generous discount. So thank you for that, Cheryl. And now outside of our conversation around entrepreneurship and freedom and coaching, I actually have a personal question, which is, do you as an artist, do you have a favorite piece that you have created and or worked on?
Cheryl: I don't really have canvas or is that what you're talking about? Like, having a piece of canvas in my house that I painted.
Michelle: Well, no, I believe you said you started your business by, refurbishing furniture, or did I get that wrong? Yes.
Cheryl: No, actually, almost my entire house is repurposed furniture. So when I moved into this little condo I have, about four years ago, and I thought, you know, I sold everything I had.
Because it was all like that old world back remember 15 years ago, the old world finished and I decided I wanted to freshen up the look and I want to do more of a coastal look. So I literally got rid of [00:24:00] every piece of furniture I had. And when I moved in here, I said, I'm going to do what they call like maybe a budget friendly home makeover and I'm going to buy new pieces of furniture.
Old pieces of furniture actually, and I'm going to repurpose each piece in the house. And then I walked through the process of each piece and I put them up on YouTube. So I did a budget friendly home makeover showing people that you can take and redo your entire house. And my budget was $2, 000 for every piece of furniture, my house: kitchen, living room, bedroom,
everything. So I showed them how they can go to like Goodwill or, you know, thrift stores or garage sales, go pick up a little piece of furniture and I show them how to repurpose that. My entire house is absolutely repurposed. So. yeah,
you don't have to spend a lot of money decorating your home. You can just go get repurposed furniture and make it look beautiful.
Michelle: We'll put a link to your YouTube channel, which I will, by the way, be checking out very soon because I'm so intrigued. [00:25:00] My husband and I are in the process of redesigning our bedroom and so I wish I would have known this earlier because I would have, there's a few pieces I'm like, huh, but maybe as you're talking, I'm like, there's more pieces we can add.
Cheryl: So you don't have to throw away your old furniture, you can just take that and repurpose it all right so just tell you if you have an old table or, you know, a nightstand or anything like that. Just take that piece if you like the, the structure of it, and just just paint it and make it the color that you want in your in your new bedroom.
Michelle: It'd be beautiful. You are absolutely inspiring me right now because like we already have picked out the headboard and the side tables, but as you're talking, I'm like, maybe we can get creative with like the artwork for the wall and, or just looking at your beautiful background for my friends who are listening, you can check out this podcast at Michelle Fox love on YouTube and you'll see Cheryl's beautiful background that she's created.
Do you want to walk us through any of the pieces that we're [00:26:00] looking at right now?
Cheryl: Let's see, what do I got back here? So, that little plate over there, I did that, what they call a dirty pour, and actually, I teach that entire process on a, on my YouTube channel. And I did an entire, I did my kitchen table in that process too. So it's called a dirty pour, and it's beautiful, so yeah, I did that, I did a couple of the other ones back there too.So, um, Just go on my YouTube channel. There's all kinds of videos on there teaching you step by step and I give you all of the products to use and the resources so you can go get those as well.
Michelle: How powerful. Well, you truly are inspiring for those of us who are women over 50 knowing that
we can take our passions and turn them into profit and also enjoyment for ourselves. So thank you for inspiring us that way. As we wrap up, is there anything else you want to add to this conversation?
Cheryl: You know, just, I just want to let people know, you know, women, especially women, 50 plus, [00:27:00] I want you to know that you have a God given talent.
You can turn that into a business and you can be making more money than you ever dreamed of. Don't hold yourself back from that. Don't be afraid of technology. Technology is your new best friend and I teach you how to do easy technology and all of the free tools that you can use so it doesn't cost you an arm and a leg to get started and you're not going to break the bank.
So don't be afraid of that. Live out your dreams. Do the thing that you've always wanted to do. Even if you're working a full time job, start doing this slowly on the side and you can start building that up. And I promise you, you're going to quit that job before the year is up.
Michelle: Thank you for that, Cheryl.
Thank you for continuing to spread, the message that yes, we truly can be what we want to be at whatever age we happen to be at the time. So thank you. Thank you for sharing your message with us.
Cheryl: You're very welcome. Thank you for [00:28:00] having me.
Michelle Fox: Thanks so much for listening to Nourish. Have you been driving, doing laundry or walking around the neighborhood? Sweet. I've got show notes for you. Hop on over to michellefox.com/podcast. When you are ready. I will let you know that on the page, you will find resources to support what you just learned on today's show. And then of course you can grab some health supportive freebies as well.
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I'll be back next week and I encourage you to keep showing up for yourself and know that you and your [00:29:00] health matter. Big love!
