If you’ve ever thought about writing a book, you’ve realized that the process is intimidating. Just knowing where to begin and how to proceed pose big challenges. We are tackling this topic with today’s guest and uncovering the things nobody tells you about writing a book. Join us to get real and learn more!

Our Featured Guest

Raj Lulla

Raj Lulla is a StoryBrand Certified designer and strategist. He and his partner, Ben Lueders, are the co-owners of Fruitful Design & Strategy, where they “create and grow compelling brands.” Raj has spent the last few years writing a book called The Caring House, and he joins us to dive deeper into the book-writing process. He shares why he chose to write a fiction book, how he approached the publishing aspect, and the financial outlay for a project like this. We wrap up with Raj’s perspective on the things no one tells you about marketing a book and Raj’s best tips for anyone who wants to write a book.

Fruitful Design and Raj Lulla

You’ll Learn:

• Raj’s choice: fiction vs. nonfiction?
• Big questions to confront around the grief-processing journey
• Raj’s idea for The Caring House as part of his personal healing process
• Writing to answer the question, “What is this book for?”
• Narrowing your purpose to the “most important thing”
• Understanding the publishing dilemma: a traditional publisher, indie/hybrid publishing, or self-publishing?
• Differences in the pitching/publishing process between a fiction vs. nonfiction book
• Financial considerations in the book-writing process
• Details about the “print-on-demand” publishing option and the hard work required to market a self-published book
• Raj’s advice to aspiring writers

Resources:

Want to launch your podcast?

Check out our free podcasting workshop for therapists (and therapists turned coaches and consultants)

https://sellingthecouch.com/podcastingworshop

Want to launch your online course?

Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit For Therapists: https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit

Mentioned in this episode:

Thrizer

Thrizer is a payment platform designed for private pay therapists, built to help clients automatically tap into their out-of-network benefits and save on therapy upfront. Thrizer can help instantly verify clients’ out-of-network benefits ahead of a client’s first session, so they get the transparency upfront on their out-of-pocket costs. When therapists charge their clients via Thrizer, an out-of-network claim is automatically submitted for them, so no need to deal with superbills. Best part? After meeting their deductible, clients have the option to just pay their co-insurance portion for sessions while Thrizer floats the rest of the therapist’s fee and waits for reimbursement on the client’s behalf, helping clients afford therapy upfront. Please visit sellingthecouch.com/thrizerand enter the promo code “STC” and receive waived fees for your first $2500 in charges.

Need Community Support? Join the Mastermind

If you are a seasoned therapist, and you are wanting to move from clinical to online course income, we actually have a specific mastermind for therapists who are doing this. We meet together to build and grow and scale...

Podcast sponsorship is often seen as the “golden goose” of podcasting. We started working with sponsors on STC a few years ago, and they have generated over $95k to this point. However, I’ve learned that relying solely on sponsorships is not the wisest stance because your success rides the ebbs and flows of another company’s marketing budget. I’m very grateful for the sponsors who have worked with us, but I don’t want to depend on them for the main source of income for STC. Today, I’m sharing three ways you can make money from your podcast from Day One, without having to depend on securing sponsors down the road. Join me for a closer look!

You’ll Learn:

• The increasing responsibility I feel to be a good steward in today’s podcasting environment
• Three ways to make money from your podcast from Day One:
• One-on-one work–I share how to use analytics to pinpoint your niche and impact to specialize your focus and offerings. (I use and recommend Fathom Analytics.)
• Scalable work–This includes things you can continue to do for the next 8-10 years, like paid speaking engagements, coaching groups, therapy groups, writing books, and establishing a “private podcast” feed.
• Online courses–The time and energy investment comes on the front end, but they become an asset into which you can invite others.
• It’s best to view podcast sponsorship as “the cherry on the top” that may come to you, but not as the financial foundation to depend on from month to month.
• Our free podcasting workshop can help you launch your podcast!

Resources:

Want to launch your podcast?

Check out our free podcasting workshop for therapists (and therapists turned coaches and consultants)

https://sellingthecouch.com/podcastingworshop

Want to launch your online course?

Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit For Therapists: https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit

Mentioned in this episode:

Thrizer

Thrizer is a payment platform designed for private pay therapists, built to help clients automatically tap into their out-of-network benefits and save on therapy upfront. Thrizer can help instantly verify clients’ out-of-network benefits ahead of a client’s first session, so they get the transparency upfront on their out-of-pocket costs. When therapists charge their clients via Thrizer, an out-of-network claim is automatically submitted for them, so no need to deal with superbills. Best part? After meeting their deductible, clients have the option to just pay their co-insurance portion for sessions while Thrizer floats the rest of the therapist’s fee and waits for reimbursement on the client’s behalf, helping clients afford therapy upfront. Please visit sellingthecouch.com/thrizerand enter the promo code “STC” and receive waived fees for your first $2500 in charges.

Hosting a retreat sounds like a great idea, right? When you stop and think about all the logistical and financial details, that’s when many fears and questions come to the surface. Perhaps the biggest fear is whether enough people will pay for your retreat to make it a success. Join us as we dive into this topic with today’s expert guest!

Our Featured Guest

Megan Gunnell

In addition to being a business owner, author, and triathlete, Megan Gunnell is a Clinical Social Worker who has been hosting 1-day retreats, workshops and weekend/week long retreats for 20+ years.

She hosted her first one at a local community center–complete with harp music! From these humble beginnings, Megan’s retreats have evolved into weekend retreats and international retreats that started in 2012 in Costa Rica, Italy, France, and other places around the globe.

In this episode, we discuss why therapists find it so appealing to consider hosting a retreat, along with common fears related to the risk of hosting your first retreat.

Megan explains how to find suitable venues that offer 100% refund options and points out the important legal and logistical considerations. We wrap up our conversation by discussing retreat marketing, which is vital to the success of your retreat. Megan shares what she has learned along her journey as a retreat host.

Megan's Website and Thriving Therapists ® Facebook Group

You’ll Learn:

• Megan’s inspiration to expand beyond private practice into hosting retreats
• Megan’s #1 lesson learned: Start small and grow later.
• The attraction of retreats? They are transformative spaces for people to pull away from everyday life and reinvigorate their passion and purpose.
• The major differences between private practice work and group retreats as income sources
• Legal considerations around liability, disclaimers, emergencies, etc.
• Megan’s low-risk tips for hosting retreats:
• Start small with a test audience and test venue with a half-day or one-day retreat.
• Look for 100% refundable venues through a certain date prior to the event.
• Do the math and “beta-test” your audience.
• Making your retreat a profitable venture
• Finding 100% fully refundable venues—and why international properties are desirable
• Megan’s top marketing strategies for retreats:
• Be very clear about your intentions. (Who is this for, and what is the purpose?)
• Think about your runway. (Make sure it is long enough to “land the plane.”)
• Build a warm excitement with your audience around the date for open registration.
• Handling the cancellation or rebooking of your retreat with flexibility and transparency

Resources:

Want to launch your podcast? Check out our free podcasting workshop

https://sellingthecouch.com/podcastingworshop

Want to launch your online course?

Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit For Therapists: https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit

Mentioned in this episode:

Thrizer

Thrizer is a payment platform designed for private pay therapists, built to help clients automatically tap into their out-of-network benefits and save on therapy upfront. Thrizer can help instantly verify clients’ out-of-network benefits ahead of a client’s first session, so they get the transparency upfront on...