Arlene Battishill - How to Go 7 Years Without a Paycheck

Start by losing a high paying corporate job, empty out your savings inventing a product, bring it to market at the height of the recession and grow that company for seven years without getting a paycheck before hitting “paydirt” with a million dollar product and you have a very unusual entrepreneur, Arlene Battishill, Ph.D.

Arlene has appeared on the ABC TV show “Shark Tank” and written a best selling book, Retail Shock Therapy: A Prescription For What Ails Your Online Sales. She now spends her time as “The Business Dominatrix” in a “virtual (and sometimes real) dungeon” with entrepreneurs who are struggling to push past the issues that have continually held them hostage and enable them to break through into a place of harnessing their power, regain control of their lives and their businesses and become “emotional Navy Seals.”

Her “take no prisoners” no bullshit approach to excellence in business and life demand courage and bravery from those who choose to enlist her to confront and overcome their emotional bondage.

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Here are a few key secrets we talked about in this episode:

Michelle introduces Arlene Battishill.
Arlene shares a brief history of her past and how she got to where she is today.
Arlene is the creator of GoGo Gear.
When it comes to certain sales and business moves, Arlene advises to take the emotion out of it by asking yourself, “What’s my next move?”
Arlene was on Shark Tank and was offered a deal. In the end, Arlene and her company didn’t accept the deal. She explains why in this episode.
Arlene brought her items to market at the height of the recession and within the year almost 10,000 out of the 18,000 stores she was in backed out of working with her or closed completely.
Instead of allowing this to hold her back, Arlene took to social media to grow her business.
The first rejection that Arlene received was when she was 24 years old and still working in corporate. She shares the full story in this interview.
It was clear that there was a demand for Arlene’s product, but it took 7 years of making ZERO money for it to finally take off. Arlene’s story to triumph is a MUST LISTEN!
During that 7 year period, Arlene almost went back to a 9 to 5 job, but thankfully it didn’t work out for her.
Arlene firmly believes that no one will ever have control over her income or life again. Being an entrepreneur is her life!
“I knew in my gut that I was absolutely right and the market told me I was right but it was bad timing. I knew that if I could just wait long enough, I was going to find my success.” ~Arlene Battishill
Arlene’s most accomplished NO was a NO she was telling herself. She was at a low point and wanted to quit, but couldn’t do it without permission first. Listen to this episode for the FULL story!
As an entrepreneur, Arlene believes that your job isn’t to prove that your products work, but to prove that they don’t work. Punch holes in your work and research so that when you bring it to market you KNOW it is going to work.
Arlene also works as a “Business Dominatrix” helping business owners achieve the results they desire. However, Arlene is quick to turn someone away if they start making excuses or don’t do the work.
“There is nothing that anyone has that is so valuable to me that I am willing to put up with their shit.” ~ Arlene Battishill
Arlene shares what she would tell her younger self.