Getting laid off sucks. It throws so many things out of whack and puts a serious dent in your finances as you search for a new source of income. For Danielle Leslie, though, this was a blessing in disguise.
She Started from the Bottom
In 2015, Leslie received the dreaded pink slip as she worked at a Silicon Valley startup. She was the marketing director, and until that point, she was living the dream; at least, she believed she was.
Just before Thanksgiving, her manager invited her to a 4:30 pm meeting, and an HR person was present. Before they said anything, Leslie knew what was about to happen.
She had bills to pay and six figures of student debt, so her natural response was to apply for marketing positions in other companies. She told her friends that she had been laid off.
Then, the unexpected happened.
She started receiving requests from people in her network to help them launch courses. She accepted, and within her first month of unemployment, she earned over $10,000.
This wasn’t a fluke, though. Long before she got laid off, Leslie had consistently shared videos about branding, networking, and marketing on her social media pages.
Her friends also appreciated her unsolicited business advice that actually helped them to thrive in their endeavors. So, even though she didn’t realize it, Leslie already had a proven track record in consultation.
She got her first client, then her second one, and before she knew it, she was already raking in more than she would have if she were employed. The rest, as they say, is history.
The Leslie Touch
Right now, Leslie earns multiple-seven figures each year teaching how to transform your expertise and passion into a profitable online course. She does this through her program, titled Course From Scratch.
She’s also helping to create a community of entrepreneurs. One in six of her students quits their day job and makes a new life from their course’s income.
Three of her students have even formed their own multi-million dollar courses, while two more are heading towards the seven-figure milestone. Leslie clearly has a Midas touch when it comes to enriching the lives of her students.
Passion that Bears Fruit
Leslie is passionate about what she does. She loves helping people to give their lives a new narrative that they are not frustrated by or ashamed of.
In both college and high school, Leslie never felt like she belonged. She never fit into any of the cliques, from athletes to cheerleaders.
She also grew up between two countries, since her mother was Panamanian. Neither of them ever felt like they belonged.
It wasn’t until Leslie entered the working world that she realized life wasn’t about fitting in. Instead, it was about adding value just by being who she was.
She created environments where she was her fullest self, and others saw value in this.
Leslie applies this to online courses. Instead of looking for mass appeal, what’s most important—and effective—is telling your story. It will create a microenvironment that some people will get value.
Wise Words
Leslie believes that anyone can follow in her footsteps. You just have to form a habit that will eventually result in sales.
For her, it was a webinar she held every week, which her husband started calling Big Money Wednesdays.
She did it consistently and started earning $5,000, a sum that soon ballooned.
She also advises us to start with our own stories and embrace the things that make us unique.
For Leslie, what made her unique was being a millennial, a Black woman, and a person with plenty of ups and downs.
She used what she calls her “cultural advantage” to carve a niche and grow a business that people related to.
If anyone follows her advice, we are certain they can eventually reach Leslie’s heights.
