Coaching Series: Can Zach take this entry-level freelancer (Maia) to a 6-figure income ($8,333/month) in 6 months?
Hint: Yes! This series launch interview was filmed AFTER It was finished!
In this kickoff interview, Zach and Maia look back on her biggest lessons learned and explain the coaching series you’re about to follow her in.
(From starting out struggling and making less than $2,000/month, to 6 months later, where she was making $14,000/month!)
The DYF Accelerator Community includes weekly live 20-minute one-on-one Zoom coaching with Zach that follows the same format you saw here.
You’ll also have access to our huge library of all past coaching calls, as well as a text-based community and weekly accountability check-ins.
Click here to find out more “
- 12:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. — Zach hosts the Freelancing podcast series, focusing on Maia’s journey to a six-figure income, noting her recent success in surpassing the monthly goal.
- 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. – Maia confirms that her first month at $8,333 was in October. Zach highlights Maia’s rapid progress, reaching the six-figure goal in five months, and describes the structure of the series.
- 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. — Zach discusses the purpose of the series, recognizing Maia’s commitment and progress in the community. Maia reflects on her initial reluctance to use Instagram and her change in strategy after coaching.
- 6:00 – 8:00 — Maia shares her income progression, from around $2,000 per month before coaching, to a significant increase post-coaching, with a shift from design to coaching and consulting.
- 8:00 – 10:00 — Zach and Maia examine its revenue trajectory over the past few months, noting the introduction of payroll expenses and the shift in revenue streams from branded projects to other avenues. Zach mentions Maia’s digital nomad lifestyle as a backdrop to her independent journey.
- 10:00 – 12:00 — Zach explains Maia’s financial situation, highlighting his move to coaching for higher profit margins and his team’s costs for branding projects.
- 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. — Zach predicts Maia’s future earning potential based on current trends and her assured client work for the months to come.
- 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. — Maia shares her journey from New York University to her first job as a designer, focusing on her self-taught skills and early professional experiences.
- 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. — Maia shares the value of her agency experience in shaping her career, discussing the importance of creative freedom and the role of “bridge work” in career development.
- 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. — Maia advises on choosing a bridge job, emphasizing the importance of growth opportunities and trying out different roles to discover your passion and direction.
- 8:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. – Zach recommends looking for a bridge job with opportunities for diverse experiences. Maia explains how her early freelance work with musician friends helped her learn about client management.
- 10:00 p.m. – 12:00 p.m. — Maia talks about her desire to leave her agency job, followed by a sabbatical for reflection, and her eventual return to the professional world.
- 24:00 – 26:00 — Zach and Maia discuss the importance of a transition phase when starting self-employment, including side hustles and financial planning.
- 26:00 – 28:00 — Maia describes her early challenges with Instagram marketing and how she adapted her approach to attract customers while maintaining her personal style.
- 28:00 – 30:00 — Zach explores Maia’s Instagram marketing strategy and how it has evolved over time. Maia reflects on her emotional state and struggle since joining the Accelerator until today.
- 30:00 – 32:00 — Maia shares her successful strategy of showing authority and building a community on Instagram, which significantly increased her lead flow.
- 32:00 – 34:00 — Discussing July’s emotional theme, Maia describes a mix of newness and confidence, as well as the importance of mastering and systematizing one’s serves.
- 34:00 – 36:00 — Maia highlights her aha moments: focusing on community building and mastering a few key services, leading to increased rates and trust in the service.
- 36:00 – 38:00 — Maia discusses investing in a team, with an emphasis on training and the importance of creating a supportive work environment that promotes growth and development.
- 38:00 – 40:00 — Zach and Maia talk about the importance of providing value beyond financial compensation to team members, viewing their roles as bridge jobs to their future careers.
- 40:00 – 42:00 — Zach compares his coaching to micro-adjustments to a flight path. Maia reflects on how Zach’s advice helped her avoid overspending on a website and focus her business offerings.
- 42:00 – 44:00 — Maia discusses attracting diverse clients through personal branding, balancing product-focused and coaching-oriented clients.
- 44:00 – 46:00 — Maia shares her thoughts on how to avoid burnout, emphasizing the importance of rest and not overworking during the first year of business.
- 46:00 – 48:00 — Maia advises you on building a business with minimal effort, focusing on essential actions like social media engagement and streamlined customer onboarding.
- 48:00 – 50:00 — Zach reflects on advice given to Maia for avoiding premature scaffolding in business, and Maia discusses her approach to running a community using simple tools like Telegram.
- 50:00 – 52:00 — Maia describes her active engagement in the Instagram community, emphasizing the importance of personal interaction and making genuine connections.
- 52:00 – 54:00 — Maia gives advice on balancing Instagram content creation and active engagement with audiences, emphasizing the value of Stories for connecting with people.
- 54:00 – 56:00 — Maia highlights the importance of starting with Instagram Stories and gradually building a follower base through real interactions and relevant content.
- 56:00 – 58:00 — Maia discusses the strategy of gaining followers through direct, personal interactions and avoiding reliance on viral content for sustainable growth.
- 58:00 – 60:00 — Zach and Maia discuss the long-term investment in building community on Instagram, contrasting it with the ephemeral nature of viral content. Maia highlights the lack of a universal formula for Instagram success.
- 1:00:00 – 1:02:00 — Maia plans to continue training her team for more customer-facing roles and is looking forward to launching a course and developing products related to simple living and digital organization.
- 1:02:00 – 1:04:00 — Maia emphasizes the importance of investing in coaching and classes, attributing much of her business growth to continuous learning and self-education.
- 1:04:00 – 1:06:00 — Discussing the importance of community in business, Maia emphasizes the value of being part of a support and guidance group, especially in the early stages of business. ‘activity.
- 1:06:00 – 1:08:00 — Maia suggests creating an “Accelerator Plus” program for more intensive and committed participants, building on her positive experience with personalized coaching.
- 1:08:00 – 1:10:00 — Maia shares her key point: start small and grow as needed, advocating for a minimal, hands-on approach to business development.
- 1:10:00 – 1:12:53 — Maia expresses gratitude for growing her business from zero to a six-figure business, while Zach expects her to reach the seven-figure level in two years. They conclude the conversation by appreciating the coaching journey and its impact.