Today we’d like to introduce you to Keli Bradford.
Hi Keli, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I would love to! I got into sales over 10 years ago after struggling to find my path after college. I started out as a Pre-Dentistry Student and then impulsively changed my major to Finance due to stress.
After graduating, I worked in a lot of different fields, such as Mortgage Banking, Property Management, and I even started my own Event Planning Company when I lived in Philadelphia. I just could not find a balance of enjoying my work and making the income that I needed. I always felt like my friends were more successful than me.
Around 2013, I was working as a recruiter after relocating to Dallas and found out that I was making significantly less than two my colleagues with similar experience. I hate to admit it, but I was making $35k, and they were making $45k. A friend of mine had recently left to recruit for a medical device company. I asked her about a sales executive position, and before I knew it had had gotten the job. It paid a base of $30K, but with commission, I was expected to make $75k, which was more than I had ever made before. I learned the product and put in the work, and ended up making 6 figures.
I later got into software sales in tech and have never looked back. Sales not only gave me stability and confidence, it was the closest thing to entrepreneurship, as I was in control of how much I made.
At one point, I was laid off, and it taught me that everything can be taken from you in a second. That is where my business idea was born. Sales is something that people are not comfortable with, but Entrepreneurs and Creatives have to sell in order to grow their businesses.
I started my Sales Coaching business, where I help my clients develop the confidence to sell their products and services or even promote themselves in corporate. I also help them develop their sales strategy and show them how to sell authentically to attract their ideal clients/customers.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Some of the struggles that I faced were, of course, imposter syndrome as well as seeking validation of my idea. I don’t know why we do this to ourselves because I already had the skillset, and I knew that I could show others how to do it in a conversational way that does not seem pushy or intimidating. There are always going to be naysayers, but you just have to ignore them and keep moving toward your vision.
As an entrepreneur, it is easy to doubt yourself, but you just put in the work and believe that there is a need for what you are offering. There is an audience for almost anything.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I Empower Entrepreneurs and Creatives to sell with confidence so that they can grow their businesses and achieve the financial abundance that they dreamed about when they started the business in the first place.
A lot of my clients are scared to put themselves out there on social media or find it hard to talk about their offering around potential clients because they do not want to feel pushy or salesy. I help them to develop the confidence to sell in a way that feels authentic to them so they can attract and connect with the right audience.
A lot of people have great business ideas, and have invested in starting their businesses, however they are uncomfortable with talking about or promoting their product or service. Unfortunately, this can inhibit the ability to turn a profit. People start businesses to have freedom, whether financial freedom, time freedom, or both. A major element is selling/promoting what you offer; otherwise, no one will know about it. There is an idea that you make a few posts or put up a website, and you will make millions. Unfortunately, this just does not happen if you are not willing to promote your offer.
What sets me apart is that I have over 10 years of experience and a successful track record of making money for companies. This allows me to have a more personalized approach to coaching that is tailored to each individual’s strengths and weaknesses. People should hire me because I am dedicated to helping them achieve their goals through strategies, ongoing support, and my focus on continuous improvement.
I am most proud of the fact that my brand is centered around empowerment and helping my clients uncover the strengths that they did not know that they possessed. We all have it, sometimes it just takes a little digging.
Currently, I have two offers:
1. 1:1 Coaching program: 8 weeks long. This allows me to dive into developing sales confidence, how to sell in a conversational manner, strategy.
2. My Empowerment Hour: This is great if someone needs some quick advice or direction on how to promote their business.
Both are held via Zoom, so I can work with clients all over the world.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
This is a great question.
I feel that hard work and consistency is needed for anything that you want to go after. At the same time, I feel that the universe does find a way to reward us for that hard work.
As far as bad luck, things will happen, but I have learned to look at setbacks as learning opportunities. You almost have to accept the mission to not let them happen again, or at least minimize the impact.
Contact Info:
- Website: bio.site/kelibradford
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thekelibradford
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheKeliBradford
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@thekelibradford
