Tell us about yourself and what you do
I’m Sarah Shade, I’m 37 and live in a small town in NE Colorado where life is still simple and the people here are shocked by the notion of entrepreneurship! I moved here 8 years ago to be with my now husband, and unbeknownst to me – to clean up from
I’m 5 ½ years sober and taking the life I’ve been graciously gifted by the horns! Upon learning new ways of living, I also learned that I’m capable of making a real difference, so during my journey, I’ve become the entrepreneur I’ve always wanted to be! I’m now the co-owner and creator of The Empire Method™, where we arm badass women with the business tools and education needed to do the work they came here to do!
How does your work create an impact in the world
In my years of copywriting, marketing, and freelance work I’ve personally worked with hundreds of women who were worn down and obliterated by the technical challenges of setting up their business systems, it’s a terrible thing to watch because you KNOW they have the power to change and improve people’s lives, but they’ve become overwhelmed by the tech side of business, so much so that, sometimes these women just give up which is absolutely heartbreaking because it’s just not necessary!
We’re FIRM believers that self-empowerment is required if you want to run a business which is why we don’t just offer our all-in-one websites, we provide the educational training needed to be in complete control and fully confident in your business systems! In my opinion, there’s nothing worse than having something important to say and no way to say it! It has to stop!
Overall, I think The Empire Method™ creates an avenue for women who have a powerful message, but lack the tech knowledge carry their message without restriction. FB and sales funnels are great, but they don’t provide a sustainable platform in which to grow. For sustainable consistent profit you must have many ways to deliver your work, from membership offers, sales funnels, affiliate programs, an online store etc… that’s what our Empire Sites™ do, without the drama! We hope to help millions of women so they can make the impact we can’t do by ourselves!
Was there a turning point in your life that made you seek out inspiration and self growth learning opportunities?
I had to change and I had to do it quick! I went home that day and tossed everything bad for me out of the fridge and hired a fitness trainer, I lost 70lbs in 3 months! It was a huge win, but what surprised me was the emersion of mental clarity and determination I didn’t know I had! It was life-shaking! I woke up! I found out who I was which was something I had been desperately searching for since my sobriety. I’ve had some recent trauma and a bit of a downfall but I’m working hard each day to heal my wounds and improve my moment-by-moment health decisions!
One thing I’ve learned above all
Where do you get your inspiration from?
I really enjoy podcasts, Joe Rogan’s podcast “The Joe Rogan Experience” is probably one of my favorites. Not because he’s particularly inspirational, that’s just not his vibe, but more so for energy and content he puts out. While most of the time he’s high he’s very insightful when it comes to the human condition and I find the topics he talks about absolutely fascinating. My mind requires a plethora outside of the box topics and so his podcast helps with that! From science, to our own sorted history, comedy, medical plants and so much more – it’s just gets my juices flowing! He’s a fascinating man and one day I hope to be a guest just to have the experience of free flowing ideas without boundary!
What is your favourite source of inspiration?
I’d have to say my own life, when I’m in a down spot I’ll analyze it until I’ve found a silver lining. I find that for me at least, no one can make me want to do anything. I’m also a rebel so finding inspiration outside of myself is much harder than looking within. We’re a complex species full of magic and surprise, all you have to do is be willing to look with an honest lense and you’ll find inspiration to fuel your path a million times over!
What was or is the biggest struggle you’ve faced embracing who you are?
I think my biggest struggle is knowing I’m an all or nothing person. As an addict, I assumed this trait came from loving the drink, so much so it almost took my life! But as I walk this path of sobriety I am finding out it wasn’t the alcohol, it’s me. I do shit right or not at all, which can be both a terrible or amazing thing depending on what I’m focused on!
These days I’m much more careful about what I focus on because of it, I can quite literally drive myself insane trying to figure something out, so I learned, for instance, to not go looking for new hobbies, instead I focus on perfecting the ones I have such as art and writing. This allows me to step away from work and quickly into creativity when my soul calls out for it!
How do you stay inspired to keep going in your journey?
That’s an easy question, I was given more chances than I ever deserved. I don’t take that grace from God and the Universe for granted! It’s amazing that we’re even alive, let alone human beings, (I think the odds are 1 in 400 trillion) and the fact I didn’t kill myself off by my alcoholism, and I’m standing here with blood pulsing through my veins, intelligent thought, and a fierce determination to make up for my lost time keeps me more than inspired to keep pushing!
What emotional challenges have you faced?
Oh goodness….as embarrassing as this is to admit, it’s my lack of empathy. My alcoholism didn’t just rob me of physical things, and it wasn’t just painful, like a surgeon performing a lobotomy, it literally removed parts of my character from my brain. I’ve had to re-learn how to care. If you’ve ever not cared about anything you know how weird and out of place that feels. Thankfully my husband and best teacher
It’s taken some time but I have finally created new blocks to build upon and I can now feel emotion more than I ever have! I still struggle with it here and there, I have to actively work on it every day, but it’s the price of addiction, it doesn’t care who you are or how awesome you are, it’ll take the very best parts of you and rip it away – it’s up to you to take it back!
What would be your top tips for:
- Finding inspiration –
Get out of your headspace and get crazy curious about life and why we’re here! Read/watch things that you’ve never considered because it’s so out of the realm of your reality. This keeps your mind fresh and ideas flowing on the regular!
- Keeping inspired –
This is hard, we’re not built to stay in constant inspiration…I mean can you imagine? I’d go crazy lol! I say be gentle (not lazy – gentle, there’s a difference) on yourself when you don’t feel inspired, but if you need a pick me up, something to get the mind in creation mode, I say exercise! It’s literally the best free medicine in the world! My mind often explodes with ideas when I’ve got a few sets under my belt!
- Raising your spirit –
I’ve been lower than low, many times, and it’s ugly. I’ll be honest, the ONLY thing that really helps raise my spirit is being honest about my own bullshit and asking God for help. It doesn’t matter what you believe in, as long as you’re asking something bigger than yourself it works every single time! However, finding things to be grateful for is just as important, you can’t raise your spirit while you’re complaining about shit.
- Staying positive –
Also a really hard thing, we’re just not built that way, but it’s very possible to be more positive than you are negative/neutral. It’s all about perspective. If you’re committed to seeing everything as “I have to” or “This happened to me” etc, then you’re always going to find something to be pissed off or sad about. But if you can reframe your reaction to life with “I get to” and “This happened for me” the world as you know it changes forever! You learn that nothing happens by chance, you are always supported even during your most trying times, that you are loved and life is amazing!
- Anything else you have found invaluable –
Yes, find people you can talk to, especially if you’re in business for yourself. I’m not taking fake friendships on FB, I’m talking about real women who share the same dreams, goals, and mindset you do. You’d be surprised how isolating it is being an entrepreneur, family and close friends have a hard time understanding what you’re doing and why. You need support. You need people to encourage you!
What advice would you like to give someone when it comes to business?
My best advice is to get a job. Be sure you have enough money to invest in your business so you aren’t stressing out at every turn. You can’t survive on panic, nor should you want to – trust me I did it for years and it took a million times longer to reach even the smallest of goals. I’m surprised I’m still standing to be honest.
The next piece of advice is to do it RIGHT! No matter how many shiny tools pop up on your FB feed, no matter how many gurus promise you the moon, do not fall for it. I have hundreds of accounts from women who’ve fallen victim to the easy way, and I can tell you now that it’s not real, it doesn’t exist, and it’s not sustainable.
A real business (one that makes money consistently) has a solid strategy, professional tools, and a growth plan. It’s not just about pretty colors on a website, it’s not just about pricing an offer just right, it’s not about how shiny your funnel is, or how your vibration feels today – it’s a huge combination of many things. But intelligence and creating a system that supports your goals and then following through on your goals is what’s going to separate you from the rest!
Remembering your hardest struggle what was the lesson? What is your advice?
I remember it like it was yesterday, 51/2 years ago I sat on my bathroom floor praying to god to keep me from walking out that door to grab my bottle. It worked, and I stayed there most the night. I learned right then and there that if I can ask for help and actually get it, well then, my way of doing things was no longer an option! My advice is simple. Don’t believe you are smarter than the universe, you aren’t. Ask for help.
If you are in business or write a blog for yourself what made you take the leap?
I love to write so this was easy, but I also want to use our blog to promote my fellow sisters! It’s just one more way of making the impact I want to make while I’m here!
What motivated and inspired you to start your own business?
Mainly, it was watching perfectly capable women cower away because they couldn’t figure out how to set up their business systems, it was so outrageous, so senseless to me, that I just knew I had to do something! Can you imagine a world of healers, coaches, motivational speakers, and just badass women quitting over something such as a website? That’s not ok, I’m here to change the way people do business if it’s the last thing I do!
Tell us about your business.
Sure! So The Empire Method™ is a place where business and technology merge with purpose and empowerment! We’re dedicated to creating an ethical “safe zone” for passionate, goal-driven women who are seeking to become fiercely empowered! From our powerful all-in-one EM Sites™, to our Empire EDU course library (coming soon), we believe our method and products will help create a unique synergy that connects the dots from overwhelmed and ill-prepared to true empowerment, balance, and realized success – all essential ingredients in creating a powerful empire!
What were the first few steps you took to get your business up and running?
We started with what end result we wanted for our clients and worked backwards to ensure that became a reality!. It all starts and ends with client results, period. If you focus on that your programs/products will be undeniable!
How do you keep motivated through difficult times?
Honestly, I just give myself time. If I feel unmotivated, I know it’s time to rest my mind and nurture my soul, and that’s exactly what I do whether it’s art, time with my husband, exercise, whatever it is I want really – when I give myself space to breath and exist in this work without a must-do list I become motivated to do more for the right reasons rather than doing things to get them done!
Where can people connect with you?
We’d love to connect to your audience! You can find us at any of the following links!
Our website: https://www.theempiremethod.com/
Our Blog: https://www.theempiremethod.com/blog/
Which reminds me, we’d love to share the feature post we did on Petra and 8 other incredible women who overcome the odds! You can check it out here: “Stepping Out Of The Past With Power! It’s a great read especially if you’ve been through trauma, abuse, addiction etc.
What social media outlets do you use?
Our FB: https://www.facebook.com/pillarsofempowerment/
My personal FB: https://www.facebook.com/sarah.shade.92
