Take Your Business to the Next Level With Authentic Storytelling
Coach Jimmy: I’m here at Beachbody Coach Summit 2016 in Nashville and I’m sitting down with Coach Tulin. We’re going to talk about how she has over a hundred Success Club points by the halfway mark of the month and has recruited over 50 coaches a month. She’s gonna tell you exactly how she did it. Stay tuned.
Coach Jimmy: Total overall this month, how many success points do you have?
Coach Tulin: I’m like, right now? Like 130? Well, actually no. Hold on. Let me think. Happy business center…we’re probably at 150.
Coach Jimmy: 150 as a household?
Coach Tulin: Yeah, but I don’t know because I haven’t checked in the past several hours.
Coach Jimmy: Right, of course because it changes, but still! That’s just a ridiculous number. People are watching this right now going, “Huh?” Like some people don’t get that in a year. You do understand that, right?
Coach Tulin: Yeah, I do. Well, if you want me to blow your mind even more, I had a hundred points by the 15th.
Coach Jimmy: Okay, so that’s where we’re going with this.
Coach Tulin: In July.
Coach Jimmy: Okay, so that’s one part of this. The other part is, do you have any idea how many of those are coaches or just roughly what your average is a month as how many coaches you sponsor?
Coach Tulin: Probably eighty-five, ninety percent of those are coaches.
Coach Jimmy: Okay.
Coach Tulin: So I probably brought in over 50 coaches.
Coach Jimmy: 50 coaches this month?
Coach Tulin: In July.
Coach Jimmy: So, somebody…there’s people on here that are watching this and they’re like, “I’ve been in this business three years and have never had a month like that. I’ve never done anything like that.”
So take us back a little bit. Did you come into this business hitting the ground…hitting success club 50 to 100 and sponsoring 20 coaches a month?
Coach Tulin: No, I came into this business to return all my stuff on you. I did! But I mean I…I didn’t know there was anything to this and because I’d already been sharing my journey with the whole Insanity thing with no social media, nothing, and people had reached out and asked me going, “Hey, I see you’re doing this I need help.” Like my first coach was a fourth of my size like literally.
Coach Jimmy: I remember that. I do remember this.
Coach Tulin: So, I don’t want to say that it happened by accident.
Coach Jimmy: Yeah.
Coach Tulin: I just wasn’t shooting for you. Remember, because I have rules with you, right? Like, don’t talk to me about weight loss. Don’t talk about the business. Just here are my rules with working with Tulin.
Coach Jimmy: Let’s be very vague friends
Coach Tulin: Yeah, like whenever I return it, I won’t feel bad.
Coach Jimmy: What is it? Some of the things that was working early that you’re like, “Oh, this works but…” I find sometimes we do things that work, but we haven’t identified, “Oh, that’s why that works!”
Coach Tulin: Right.
Coach Jimmy: Is that a part of the process some things that you might have been doing naturally accidentally and then realize it and then focusing those efforts to go, “I know if I can XYZ this starts to build?”
Coach Tulin: No, I still wasn’t there yet.
Coach Jimmy: Really?
Coach Tulin: No. Because for me, when I started, I was just at a place that my glory days were gone, physically.
Coach Jimmy: Yeah.
Coach Tulin: You know, it’s all that and I was looking online looking for someone else like me and I had to change my perspective. I was looking for health gains and I’m like, “Okay, I like some of these before-and-afters…” and I wasn’t seeing another body like mine in motion.
Because when I was doing my fake version of Insanity, when I lifted my knee my entire belly would go up and raise my blood pressure and go always with my throat. Getting up and down off that couch or floor was not possible for me. So it was born out of frustration.
Like, if I want to love myself for who I am right now while I’m on this journey, I need to see examples of myself and so I couldn’t find someone else like myself.
Coach Jimmy: Right.
Coach Tulin: Not saying that they didn’t exist. It just in the way that I was searching and I knew that if I needed it, somebody else needed it and so my intention was to maybe inspire somebody else.
Coach Jimmy: And it’s so funny you say that because so many people, and I remember this conversation you and I had early on, is they’re looking to get into a business like this and maybe specifically as a Coach and they don’t see anybody else like them so they use that as, “This is why I can’t be successful. I don’t see somebody my race, my size, my orientation, or whatever,” and I remember very specifically you and I sat down and I conversation with you and I said, “Nobody is serving your community in our network,” and I don’t know that there was push back that you ever thought, “I can’t do this,” or that was it.
I don’t remember ever hearing an excuse that, “I can’t do this because of who I am, my history of everything,” but I do remember that conversation because I think you really grasped that when I said, “There’s a void here,” and a lot of people look at being different as a negative, but you looked at it…so you can talk just a little bit about, “Hey, nobody else is serving now thousands and thousands of people,” that you became a voice for an entire segment that wasn’t being served by the number one fitness company in the world.
Coach Tulin: Well, the reality was for me, I remember when I stood up and I called myself a proud plus size Beachbody Coach member on the cruise.
Coach Jimmy: At the cruise
Coach Tulin: And while you’re like there was a light beaming on me because the reality is the health and fitness industry does not know how to speak to women like me. They don’t. And I think that Beachbody does an amazing job at starting to bridge that gap, but they’re still in a safe zone. So for me, it was that I knew there’s two different segments of that community to me, just simplify. Those who don’t want to share what they are and they’re very ashamed of their bodies, they shouldn’t be because we’re God made.
Coach Jimmy: Right.
Coach Tulin: Like, honor your temple regardless of what your reasons, the story you’re wearing, sure. Snd then there are the other ones who are like, “I want to do this,” but they’re afraid to share it. Like it’s…like this is such an interesting…it just wasn’t supported like, we were what people didn’t want to be.
Like, “I don’t want to look like that anymore,” so they start feeling bad in their body. I don’t want to do that and so this conversation, it wasn’t encouraged in the plus-size community, it wasn’t talked about, and I was the one that said, “I’m a proud plus-size Beachbody Coach.” It helps people understand what it meant to be plus size that “plus” wasn’t a negative.
Like this…just because I call myself plus size, I mean that I have a total disregard for my body or obesity these….the reason I why bring all these things up is not necessarily talk about the plus-size that because this was me, my journey, my struggle. And in the plus-size community, no one was sharing their workouts because they would lose jobs for it, they will lose modelling gigs for it, etc. I need to save my life and regardless of what that looks like or what you look like a journey or your size, whether you’re one of the spectrum the other, I’m gonna share it.
It was my way of having personal accountability when I had no one in the corner. I had no one in my corner and I couldn’t see anyone like myself. So when I went into this whole thing with plus size, I honestly didn’t think I would kill it. I honestly didn’t…I mean I’m walk around so many people like, “There are more plus size women here because of what you’ve done.”
Coach Jimmy: Absolutely! So really quick, I just wanted to interrupt slightly so if somebody’s watching this and let’s say they’re not plus-size just whatever, what would you encourage them? Is it finding that thing that’s unique about you? Because some people, I look at it this way. The thing you’re ashamed of is also the thing that will help you stand out in a noisy market or community.
So let’s say somebody has something besides plus size, what would you…as we’re talking about how have you helped so many people get started this month with products and with the business, so what would you say that person as far as trying to stand out in a noisy market? Maybe they already feel like this is a noisy place.
Coach Tulin: Well, what I hope that they’re doing is that they aren’t shutting off their ears, “Well, plus size? I’m not plus-size,” you’re thinking it’s just beside the point. You’re missing the point.
Coach Jimmy: Right.
Coach Tulin: The point in this is what is your internal battle because there’s nobody you-er than you. If I try to be coach Jimmy, even though Coach Jimmy lost 100 pounds, I fail miserably at it so what is that thing that thing that’s so you? If it’s just so you and continues to grow online, you can’t be unsuccessful in this.
As an example, I believe that we go through drama and trauma which was you watch the transformation in me. So, we go through drama and trauma because I think we our hearts get broken so our light shine through.
Coach Jimmy: Yes.
Coach Tulin: If we can find the drama and trauma that’s in our heart and not like, “Let me do what Jimmy’s doing. Let me do what coach Tulin is doing. Let me do these things,” instead of doing that looking outwardly and looking internally, you’re going to attract those people who needs you. So, it’s not just “plus size” or “weight loss” or “needing to gain weight” or whatever those things are. It’s just whatever that internal light is for you. That thing that you need in your life that you start to figure out and you’re willing to share it as you go, which will open up more if you go.
Coach Jimmy: And that’s fundamentals for anybody that’s kind of sharing along the way. We talked about going from Chalene so well, you’re taking care of those people that are two steps behind you, but not once you cross the finish line, once you’re a certain size, and once you beat that addiction or what whatever excuse people are saying. Like I said before, “Oh, I don’t see this…” and I heard this. “I haven’t seen this particular race. There’s not a lot of programs and that’s like this is why it can’t be successful,” and I tell those people, “No, that’s why there’s a market where you can have a ginormous team of people waiting for you.”
So, once you’ve figured your niche, what are you doing that are attracting so many people? Is it just a matter of being consistent with your content? Because that, obviously, as I watched your business, it wasn’t like, “I’m going to serve a plus-size community!” and hundreds of people were flocking to you a month. So, what what was that? If we’re trying to give people takeaways on what they can start doing now, because this whole 120 something Success Club Points and 50 coaches, it doesn’t just happen immediately. This has been a process. What were those steps that now you’re bringing these ridiculous numbers?
Coach Tulin: So, I’m going to say this. I think it’s in my opinion trying to find the right niche is the problem.
Coach Jimmy: Okay.
Coach Tulin: Because people are looking so far outside themselves, they’re trying to look at what’s the markets that are under served. The market that’s under served is you.
Coach Jimmy: Great. I think that’s perfect.
Coach Tulin: Your goal, your struggle, your successes, that’s the market is under served. So we’re always looking outside. I think if we look inside more, that’s when you’re going to be successful because it could be a combo stories.
Coach Jimmy: And you are going to speak the most confident. Like instead of looking at some other niche, that’s like, “Oh, that is not fair.” If you’re not that, you can’t talk confidently towards that. The only thing we can speak confidently of is who we are and what we’ve gone through.
Coach Tulin: 100% and that’s why I’m successful at what I do. So when I started, I started small. I wasn’t hitting Success Club every single month. The first month I had it was kind of by accident and I had a big chip on my shoulder about things.
But I had my stuff that I was dealing with. Like I remember I was sitting at the table at a Smart Success with another coach and the other coaches talking about all these reasons why she could be successful. And this isn’t the first Smart Success I went to and I’m listening to her and I go, “Those are all the reasons why I’m going to be successful,” and there are people will say, “Well, I don’t have a broken homeless story and I don’t have a big transformation,” and I’m thinking, “You want this? Because, no offence, but I won’t go through this again.”
Coach Jimmy: Right.
Coach Tulin: I’m saying so I’m good and so people assume because it’s the big stories that draws them in, but I wasn’t sharing the big story.
Coach Jimmy: Right. Well, everybody thinks the other person’s story is an easier story. So that person that’s always fit, they’re like, “Of course you’re bringing it in,” and I know people who are always fit, they’re like, “But I don’t have a transformation story. I wish I had your transformation.” That grass is always greener on the other and if you just own your story and just start telling it honestly and the ups, the downs, the struggle, and I think your career as a coaching and as a businesswoman has been amazing that it hasn’t just been this straight up.
Well there was okay, we gained a little leverage, often frustrated, but the fact that you always been able to plug back in. You’ve been by far one of the most coachable people that I have ever, ever worked with and taken fundamentals and made them your own. You’ve never tried to be me.
Coach Tulin: No. Right.
Coach Jimmy: At all. It wasn’t like, “I’m going to be a Coach Jimmy clone.” It was…so can you talk a little bit about fundamentals and then taking those fundamentals of whether it’s how you’re talking somebody to make a decision on whether or not the program’s right for them, but how to make that your own in your own voice? Because I see a lot of people cutting and pasting of people’s stuff and it doesn’t resonate.
Coach Tulin: Well, the biggest thing is people are always curious about what I do and I’ll literally go, “Here is like my smorgasbord, my secrets sauce, all of it. Take it,” and they’re like, “the secret sauce a’int there.” The secret sauce is in you. You are the secret sauce.
“No, that can’t be possible.” I didn’t think anybody was going to follow a fat girl for fitness. I’m still on my journey. I’ve had my struggles. I’ve always been very transparent and people say, “Well, I can’t share. You’re courageous and brave.”
I’m not courageous I’m not brave. I put blinders on and I don’t pay attention other coaches are doing.
Coach Jimmy: It’s great.
Coach Tulin: I don’t pay attention to anything else and for me, what I learned was the more that I stayed in the trainings or the more I was on the phone with you, the less I was doing my business. If I stayed in the fundamentals on a daily basis, my own journey through ups and downs, because the reality is those of us who have lost has a very good possibility of gaining again. So how do we make this lifestyle change so that becomes less and less likely over time?
That’s my journey what I’m sharing.
I don’t…I have a to stay out of the white noise. I’ll get out trapped and too busy. So, the more that I stay in the fundamentals, I’m more than consistent with sharing my journey whether it’s a good day or not. I never leave my audience with a negative. I always tell them, “This is what I’m looking at doing,” and just because I’m doing this today and I realized maybe that wasn’t the best step and I switch it up, they know that I’m sharing my authentic journey.
So it’s not about the process or the system. Do systems matter? Absolutely. We’ve learned about that. Are there systems I put in place? Absolutely, but for me it’s always just been about staying with like the fundamentals. The more I stay with the fundamentals, the more I turned off whatever else was going around me and the more successful my business got.
Coach Jimmy: And the thing that’s been so cool about you is that you plug into the trainings, you do the personal development, you learn about the business, but it’s not about watching five videos in a day.
Coach Tulin: No.
Coach Jimmy: It would be come in, we would have a call, or you would watch a video or I would suggest something, you would sit down, watch it, and then go put it into action and it was literally by trial and error.
“I’m not gonna move to the next training until I activate this,” and started because what I see so much as people they’re gonna watch, bu tdid you work your business today? “Like yes because I watched five YouTube videos.” And I’m like, “Well, you might have learned something, but you didn’t work your business today.”
Coach Tulin: Yeah.
Coach Jimmy: And so I really commend you because you’re so willing to go throw it into the wall and see what sticks and it’s been in doing that that you do have this system. You start figuring out, “Okay, this percentage worked, this percentage didn’t.” You know they talk about eighty percent of your results come from twenty percent of your activity.
Coach Tulin: Right.
Coach Jimmy: And I tell people all time, and I struggle with this, is if you can identify with those 20 are and stay in that most of the time, you end up with months like you’re doing right now.
Coach Tulin: Absolutely. And the other thing is too that I was listening to and eBook where they always talk about like, “Okay, well when your business is growing, if I stop this right now to fix my systems, I’m losing momentum. Am I willing to do that?”
So he said something that he had heard. He said, “Fixing the plane while you’re flying it,” and I thought that’s brilliant. So a couple things that I’ve learned is the world’s never been safe and sane and that’s what I was looking for to create in my life. I realized that changes happen in the discomfort so I always remain uncomfortable and I understand that as the business grows, because I’m in this weird place right now, which we talked about, my business is capped. Based off of my systems and how we’re doing things, this is what I can do.
So now we’re plugging in the holes to take it to the next level. With growing coaches, are we being able to better serve those we work with. You see I receive SE points, I don’t go for them. People always say, “What’s your goal?” I don’t have a goal. I receive them for helping people, but how can I better serve them and take them through it, but also understanding that they have to do the work.
That was one of the biggest things I learned from you is that I learned very quickly that 1) that you are hungry to build and you were willing to stumble and bumble and you see me stumble and bumble so many times. I don’t have everything figured out, I still don’t, there other aspects of my business now that I have my energies and we just talked about that, but I’ll conquer that too.
So I think a lot of times, people look on the external and say, “I can’t do what Jimmy does. I can’t do like this person or that person,” because they don’t want to. It’s work. It’s uncomfortable. It’s hard, but when you change your mindset and go, “Jimmy was able to do that. Look what’s possible,” and stop saying, “Why me?” and start saying, “What can I do from this? What can I learn from that?” That’s when things are going to change and it’s in that process, it wasn’t until I figure that out that I started to grow the business.
I was going through it and sharing my personal journey as I was learning it and I don’t care if somebody was watching or not. I didn’t worry about critics. I only worry about the people that my light touched their heart and that’s all that mattered to me. That’s the other thing, when I look at people say, “I can’t do this because I have a transformation or broken homeless story things or like that,” that’s not where the power is, the power is in you.
Coach Jimmy: Absolutely.
Coach Tulin: It’s not in a system.
Coach Jimmy: And I’ve always been just so just so thankful for your willing to experiment. People look at things as success and failure. Like, “Oh my gosh, I’m gonna do this wrong,” and I just look at it as it’s play. This experiment and that’s why you are such a joy to work with because I feel like we’re cut from the same cloth. It’s like we’re going to experiment, we’re gonna throw things against the wall until we figure it out, and there’s a lot of headache and heartache in it but it’s part of the process.
Coach Tulin: And so if it doesn’t work, so what? You know not to do that or you tweak it and move on.
Coach Jimmy: And sometimes you find something by accident!
Coach Tulin: All my social medias by accident. I didn’t go back, I didn’t know I was doing social media. I went back and I threw stuff on the wall and it stuck. I stay…I always say I remain fascinated and curious about my journey. Most physically changes my body makes as I progress in my journey and it my business.
I’m always curious what the potential outcome could be and I know it could be good and it could be bad and if it’s bad it just tells me that I put my all into it. I actually did something. I committed to it and see what would happen on the other end. And sometimes it just tells me that’s not the direction to go and so I don’t quit. What am I going to quit on?
Am I going to quit on my family? I’m not feeding my family my excuses, don’t feed my family, they don’t change my life. I gotta do the work.
Coach Jimmy: That’s awesome. This is why I love working with you Coach Tulin and thank you for the time. I think this is by far my favorite interviews just because you’re one of my favorite people and I hope people take this, follow you, and not to be you, but to say, “Cool. How can I tell my story as authentic as someone like you do.” So thank you for your time and I love you.
Coach Tulin: I love you too.