Meeting My Idol
Guess who I got to meet in REAL LIFE?!?!!?
I recently had a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I can’t wait to share! Imagine having your mentor, coach, and your idol all in one place!?!? Here’s the story (and this isn’t really about bookkeeping)… but first, some background:
Melissa flat out refused to hire me when I was struggling to make ends meet. For real. It was a
time when virtual work wasn’t the norm. I had essentially shut down my bookkeeping business in
the outskirts of Boston and relocated to rural New Hampshire, feeling lost in my pursuit of a
fresh start. It was 2017 and I had a total of two clients worth about $750/month.
But fate (or whatever-you-wanna-call-it) had other plans. Randy’s (my now hubs) accountant had
posted on Facebook that she was looking to hire a bookkeeper. I met with Melissa and we totally
hit it off! I thought I had the job in the bag until she told me “I’m not going to hire you.”
Uhmmmm… whaaaaat? “I’M NOT GOING TO HIRE YOU”. I deflated. Until she explained why.
She said that I should be a business owner. That if she hired me, I’d leave her to have my own
gig. That I, (yeah, THIS GIRL) had what it takes to be on my own.
Welp… okay then. I’ll just keep trying. And I did. And I got clients. And then more clients.
I could tell you 800 more Melissa stories, but then you wouldn’t make it to the end to hear about
my IDOL. Needless to say, Melissa continued mentoring me (and still does to this day). I truly
don’t know where I’d be without her.
{Accelerate 2 Advisor, Profit First, and Pure Bookkeeping}
If you own a bookkeeping business, and you haven’t worked with Lisa, then trust me when I say
that you’re missing out! (And just to be clear, I don’t get any kick-backs for saying that.)
Lisa and her program COMPLETELY transformed the trajectory of the business that I had
created. She taught me more than words can express. She’s kindof a big deal in the bookkeeping
industry (see links above)… and she believed in ME. She taught me, supported me, and kicked me in the ass more than a few times. She’s a titan in the bookkeeping world and she took little old
me under her wing. BUT… she’s in CANADA! Given that I’m not exactly known for leaving my
house, I never thought I’d get a chance to meet her in ‘real life’.
~Collins Dictionary & ~Wikipedia
Ok, if you’ve ever read a business book, I hope that it’s one of Mike’s. If you haven’t, head over to the BBA Made Me Buy It page and grab one ASAP. (I’d personally recommend starting with Clockwork).
This guy’s MISSION is to end entrepreneurial poverty and his entire universe revolves around it.
He’s everywhere in the entrepreneurial space. Ever heard of Profit First? You can thank Mike for
that gem.
In my world, Mike is a CELEBRITY. I mean, apparently Simon Sinek once dubbed him “…the top
contender for the patron saint of entrepreneurs”. Call me a nerd, but I’ll admit it: Taylor Swift has
not affected my life. But Mike? Gahhhh. Reading Clockwork is actually what led me to Lisa.
I’ve been on webinars and masterminds that he’s led, and I’ll confess that I COMPLETELY FANGIRLED. I even have a friend who knows him and got this video, which I’ve probably watched
80,000 times. I almost cried. Like, Jordan Knight-touching-my-hand once kind of crying.
The Story (finally)
I met Christina through Lisa’s program and we instantly became business besties. The catch? She
lives clear across the country, even farther away than Lisa in Canada! (BTW, if you’re looking for
an incredible bookkeeper to guide you on the Profit First method, she’s your girl.)
When she told me that she was coming to New Jersey for a seminar, I didn’t hesitate (I mean, it’s
a 45 minute flight, seriously). My plan was simple: pop in for a day and spend some good QT with
her! As we tend to do, I planned to drag Melissa along with me for an adventure.
But then, the plot thickened. I learned that said seminar was actually Mike’s annual Profit First
Professionals gathering. And Mike would BE THERE. Uhm… okayyyy….
Thennnnn, to add to the excitement, I found out that as the head of Profit First Canada, Lisa was
going to be there, too!!!!!
Was this real life? Could I really just show up with my mentor, to hang out with my business
bestie, and get a chance to see my coach in real life… and maybe, just maybe, even my idol?!?
Chances were really (like really really) low for the last part. But, if you know me at all, then you
know that I have a knack for getting my way. I’ve definitely been referred to as the Manifestation
Queen! (That, or I just go for shit that I want.)
Melissa and I hopped on our quick flight to NJ only to discover that the conference was IN the
very hotel where we were staying (another big surprise!). We arrived on the last day of the 3-day
conference, eagerly waiting for Christina. An then, the unexpected happened.
Lisa appeared! She knew that we were there, and she was about to leave for a flight, so she left
the conference early to come and find us! We squeezed the shit out of each other with a hug
that lasted forever (though not long enough). We had a whirlwind 20 minutes to inhale our
drinks and talk at the speed of light before she had to jet off for her flight home.
Christina joined in the shenanigans, and during our conversation, she (not so) casually mentioned
that Mike was still in the building. You guessed it, I wasted no time tracking him down.
Christina introduced me and guess what? I didn’t pass out! I (mostly) kept my cool. Eventually he
remembered me from our webinar/mastermind sessions. He recognized my glasses (knew those
would come in handy some day) and that we know each other intimately. Yes, those words
exactly. MIKE MICHALOWICZ KNOWS WHO I AM!!!!
I heard (through the grapevine, of course) that there would be a big BBQ at his house the next
day for the conference attendees. So, why not go for it, right? I won’t bore you with the gory
details, but when Melissa and I entered the BBQ the next day, Mike greeted me with a warm “Hi
Beth!!” and a hug. Let me repeat that. “Hi Beth!” Aaaaaand my life was complete.
Well, then we took selfies and then my life was complete.
Well, then he serenaded us with his guitar around the campfire where I was sitting. I may or may
not have told him not to quit his day job. (Thank GOODNESS he laughed!) But THEN my life was
complete.
PHEW. So what’s the takeaway from all of this?
♪♪ Country Roads…. Take me home…. ♪♪
October 5, 2023
