ļ»æTricia Keightley Full Interview Transcript
Introduction and Background
AJ: Welcome to this episode of the Thriving Through Podcast. Today, my guest is Tricia Keightley. Did I get that right?
Tricia: Yes.
AJ: I know, I just asked you, and now I just completely forgot. So, Tricia Keightley. Tricia, I'm so happy to have you on the podcast today. I have a couple questions that I ask all my podcast guests to kind of break the ice and get us into the interview. What was your path to becoming a self-employed consultant?
Tricia: My path, I think it was just ingrained, so my dad's side of the family, we were all just... It's like, entrepreneurship is in our blood, in our bones, is what I say sometimes, and so it kind of just naturally happens. When you become, like, an expert in the field, you become more of a consultant. I'm sure a lot of people can relate to that. Where you are actually a consultant more than, like, a web designer, right? Like, you're actually consulting people about their business, so that it just kind of naturally happens a lot of times, I feel like.
The Evolution from Web Design to Consulting
AJ: And tell us a little bit more, you have been in business... you have... you have a business that you've been in for 7 or 8 years, and then you have a business that is new. But tell us about the business that you have been doing for 7 or 8 years. Tell us a little bit more about that.
Tricia: Yeah, so I've actually owned WebWorks for 14 years.
AJ: 14, sorry.
Tricia: Yeah, no problem. So it is a web design and branding agency, and that is kind of where I became more of a consultant, and a lot of it actually kind of led me into the other business, because of the fact that I believe that professional development is very important, right? But personal development is really where it's at. Because you are never going to get past that, like, glass ceiling. If you don't do the personal stuff as well. So, that secondary business is more of, like, a life coaching type business that is going to be the personal development piece of it. So, and it's way more than that, but we can get into that if that happens.
Personal Development and Business Growth
AJ: So, tell me, I mean, you and I are great, you know, great minds think alike, because the personal development, the, you know, the baggage we bring, the mindset, really can trip us up, and I know, looking back over my career as a self-employed consultant, that I didn't pay enough attention to the mindset and to the limiting beliefs that were holding me back, and I left a lot of money on the table as a result. So tell me a little bit more how you... Give me a story or two about how you recognized that you needed to do some work to be able to get where you wanted to go.
Tricia: Yeah, I think it was showing up in my personal life, because I was in the middle of getting divorced, and I talked to a therapist, or a life coach, and that life coach actually told me, she was like, you need to actually go see a therapist, and get some EMDR done, and do some work on yourself. And so that was kind of a... I call it a rock bottom moment. It didn't feel so rock bottom, but at the same time, it was just this life-changing moment where I was like, okay, I've got to start on a new path, because I'm the type of person, and I know a lot of entrepreneurs out there can relate to this, but I'm the type of person that I'm just gonna throw myself into work.
So then, of course, my relationships are affected, because I'm not paying as much of attention, and it's, you know, a lot of people are so scared to be alone, right? Even just alone with your own thoughts, and so I think that they just really started making me realize that I was just throwing myself into work. And not really paying attention to the underlying issues, and like you said, the limiting beliefs. So... so I think it is definitely...
You know, when something starts happening in your personal life, you don't want it to affect your business, but at the same time, you have to really be taking a look at both of those things to, you know, make sure that you're thriving in both areas, right? And so, you know, trying to figure out some sort of balance, right?
Leadership Challenges and Vision
AJ: Looking back over the 14 years that you've had your... would you call it an agency?
Tricia: Yeah.
AJ: That you've had your agency. Tell us a story, you two, about the biggest challenges you've faced building your agency and how you overcame them.
Tricia: Yeah. So, I think the one that comes to mind immediately is the fact of, what's the vision? I didn't have, like, this big, huge, grandiose vision of having employees, and having a building, and office, and all of that. And so, I just was a solopreneur for so many years, and then I would hire out contractors, and I tried to hire a couple people, and I think leadership, right? Like, I didn't know how to be a leader. I might know how to be a business owner, but I didn't know how to actually lead a team, or hire, or those kind of things.
And so I had a couple people work for me that didn't end up working out, because I didn't know how to be their leader. So it wasn't them, it was actually me. I'm a visionary, right? I don't necessarily want to implement things. Even though, as a solopreneur, you end up having to wear all of the hats, and so...
I think that that's one of the biggest things, right? It's like, what's the vision? Where do you see this company going? Because that is going to be one of the biggest things to scale eventually, and really be able to make the kind of money that we want to have for financial freedom as an entrepreneur.
The Power of Tracking and Data
So, whenever, I mean, I think it's more of, like, that challenge of, like, do you want to hire people? How much money do you want to be making every month? And really tracking those things as well. So that kind of leads me to the second story, is the tracking piece of it. You know, I used to have, like, a whiteboard, sitting on my wall, actually right over here in front of me that you can't see, that would basically show the goals every month, and I would be able to put a checkmark by them and really track the data. Because if you're not tracking how the things in your business are going, then you don't know what is working and what isn't. It's just like, like, we've done a lot of social media for people and managed that. If you don't pay attention to whether people are watching reels or shorts or, if they're paying more attention to stories or the posts, then you don't know what you should be doing more of, so you're wasting your time in some of the other areas, whereas if you can be really clear, like, really clear on your path, and really clear on how to get there. Then you will be a success.
AJ: Yes, and track it with data.
Tricia: Yes.
Reflection on Business Journey
AJ: Are you where you expected to be after 14 years?
Tricia: I loved when you asked me this question. Right at first, it's a little heart-wrenching. It's like, oh, okay, let me answer this. So, I think with... I will say... No. But yes.
So, I will explain that, though. So, with WebWorks, I know that there is a purpose and a rhyme and reason for everything that happens in our lives, right? And it was what helped me survive as a single mom, support 3 kids, and be able to help so many business owners and entrepreneurs really launch their business out to the world.
So it's an absolutely beautiful experience. So that turns it into a yes, right? It's like, it's amazing to say that I've built over 150 websites, and helped over 150 entrepreneurs bring their vision to life. You know, through their branding, and their website, and their social media. So, that feels beautiful to me, but at the same time, the business that I'm creating now is a multi-million dollar corporation, right? It is the business that I see of the future, you know, really being able to help people in that, you know, in their life, be able to bring back, do some inner child healing, and be able to do more of the healing aspects and create an AI where...
It's actually an AI created from consciousness, and an AI that's going to be able to answer your questions in a very safe way, and really get you off of that subconscious loop that you're on.
The Birth of Portrayals XR
So, whenever you ask me that question, at first, it's this, like, little jolt of, no, I'm not. But when I really think about it, this business that I'm creating right now, and of course, it's gonna be launched by the time this episode is out, which is just so cool to know that I'm talking about it now, but it will be launched by the time we roll this out. And so, whenever I think about that business and just living out my soul's purpose and the passion behind that business, then yes, I'm absolutely, like, well beyond what I ever thought was possible.
AJ: So WebWorks was kind of the way to make a living, and Portrayals is your life's passion.
Tricia: Tell us more about that. I love that how you came up with the idea.
Tricia: Yeah, so, I got a divine idea, middle of the night, 3 o'clock in the morning, you know, we were thinking about, like, lucid dreaming, the things that happen in the middle of the night. And one of the idea was to create an inner child healing experience in virtual reality. And of course, immediately, I woke up, and I'm like, what?
I don't know anything about virtual reality. I have done standard child healing, like, re-parenting that child part of you, and it was phenomenal. It made huge differences in my emotional regulation as an adult, because our brain doesn't know the difference between past, present, and future. So your brain, you can literally go back and re-parent that child, make them feel seen, loved, heard, and safe.
And then as an adult, you have that emotional regulation because you bought the things you needed as a kid. So it helps you rewrite that story. So that's the basis of the AI that we're creating, and the whole idea of what we're creating is...
You know, you have therapy appointments or life coaching appointments. Well, what happens in between those appointments?
AJ: You get triggered, and you get stuck on these loops of life.
Tricia: And that's where my studies have been based, is subconscious reprogramming, because I've really, you know, for the last 14 years, just really tried to figure out, okay, what's going on with me? So I can help others really figure out what's going on with them. And then when you can reprogram the subconscious mind. Then you can actually have a completely different trajectory in life.
And that includes your business, and so that's part of what we talked about earlier, right? It's like, whenever you realize that you need the personal development just as much as you need the professional development is a really key factor in your life. So, we are actually helping practitioners, therapists, life coaches, be able to train AI in their voice as well, so that way we can co-create and work alongside them to be able to really have their voice available to their clients at all times.
And so that way, we're making the therapist's life easier by recording their session notes, and they send over to the patient or the client, and do all of that stuff for them, so that way they don't have to worry about taking notes during sessions, because you know what happens when you're taking notes. You're not really paying attention to what the person is saying, because you're writing. So when you know it's going to be transcribed for you, you don't have to worry about that. You can be completely with that person. So, really excited about the launch of Portrayals XR.
Funding and Business Development
AJ: You had... I mean, this is very different from WebWorks, that you went... you've gotten funding for this. So, tell us a little bit more about kind of how you went from having a web development branding agency into this whole new world of having to get funding.
Tricia: Yeah, so we actually, at this point in time, when we're recording this, have not gotten any outside funding. It has come from WebWorks. It has been really supporting bootstrapping, and of course, myself and our COO. We haven't really... we haven't gotten any investors yet. Because we don't have a product yet. That's what we keep being told, right? We've done pitch competitions and doing all the things, you know, filling out all the grant applications.
And so the funding piece of it hasn't quite come yet, but the very first piece that we're rolling out is the AI, and so that will start that funding to where it could possibly fund itself, and we wouldn't have to get that outside funding, because the second piece of... is the inner child healing and virtual reality. That part is going to be quite expensive to develop, so we're still kind of waiting on that piece.
Vision for the Future
AJ: Where do you see this business in 3 to 5 years?
Tricia: Yeah, I mean, I... gosh, I think even in one year, I can stand here and have the affirmation, I am the proud owner of a multi-million dollar company. And so, I think that that's where I see it being... helping millions of people. And I think a lot of times, you know, we think about a consciousness, and we think about the idea of, you know, the top 1% of people are the ones that are doing the personal and professional development. And I really want to make that 3%. I want to open people's minds and help them heal, and really create a place for them to go, to be able to have support that is safe. And we're really tracking that they're getting better. So we're actually going to be tracking HRV, which is heart rate variability, and we are going to be doing some biosensing feedback as well, so that way we can make sure that people are really feeling better in their bodies. So I definitely see it being a multi-million dollar company. Our projections show that within one year. So, in 3 to 5, I can only imagine sky's the limit.
Marketing Strategy
AJ: And what comes to mind for me, because I'm in the marketing area, is how are you going to market this?
Tricia: Yeah, so our first target market is wellness centers and behavioral health centers, because they have a mass of therapists and life coaches, and the individuals will be able to do sessions as well. So we have a lot of data centers signed up. And so, we are going to be marketing to those practitioners first, you know, along with those wellness centers, and be able to, you know, of course, we're going to use all the things. LinkedIn articles, we're gonna use social media, we'll use email marketing, and that's what's so cool, is that all of my knowledge from WebWorks has been able to be used over at Portrayals, and so that has helped with bootstrapping, because I'm able to take on a lot of that, and then eventually...
You know, you think about the picture in three to five years, I want to be sitting on a beach writing a book, or sitting in the mountains writing a book. I don't want to be doing all of the things in this business and be able to just be more like the consultant role, right? Be the CEO and not the doer in the business.
The Future of WebWorks
AJ: What's going to happen to WebWorks?
Tricia: That's a great question. Well, we do have full-blown CRM that I have a lot of clients on. I don't see it going away, I just see somebody else being able to manage those day-to-day tasks, and again, me just being that consultant CEO type role, and doing, you know, just being... just being more of the business... the visionary business owner that I always wanted to be. So I don't see it going away. It is definitely, like, it's like a child to me, because it did, it helped me through the hard times. I turned towards the business, you know, and once I realized that I was turning too much towards the business, and that's where I was getting my, you know, like, my proud moments from, instead of that, I started realizing that I need to find all of that within myself. So, I don't see it going away.
Resources and Recommendations
AJ: Now, I want to kind of wrap up with a couple questions. What is one book, podcast, or resource that has been invaluable to you in business, to your consulting?
Tricia: So, I'm gonna kind of go back to the idea of personal development being just as important, if not more important, and I absolutely love Dr. Joe Dispenza, and he has a book called Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself. And that has probably been one of the best books I've read. I could sit here and I could name hundreds of books that have helped me in my journey, and just because I love reading, that is a huge passion of mine. And so, whenever I read a book, it really helped get off of that subconscious cycle that we're on. So even whenever you just go on a walk, and you go right, typically, maybe this time go left. It literally creates new neural networks in your brain, so that way you can get off of those cycles or loops that you're on.
So, whenever I started learning more about that subconscious reprogramming, he has a whole show on guidance about it as well. And it was absolutely amazing, too. So whenever you can really start figuring yourself out, that's when you start... when you figure yourself out, when you can start to figure out what's holding you back in your business. So, I believe that I, personally, is actually more.
Advice for New Consultants
AJ: Looking back 14 years ago. What is one piece of advice you wish someone had given you when you started your WebWorks?
Tricia: Yeah, so... The idea is, when you start a business. It is a vision. Where do you see it going? How do you see it scaling? What if somebody were to come shoot down at your business? What would you say? So, getting to the point where you are not the only person that can make things happen is the most important. But you have to have that vision first of figuring out what it is that you actually want. That's why I love your question of 3-5 years, because it's like, what is it that you see? Getting really clear on that, and making decisions based on will help you eventually scale it to a point where you can sell it, or just become the CEO, right, and not be doing all the different things that you're doing. Your business technically should be able to run without you, right? You should only be making the decisions and not be doing, doing, doing.
AJ: That's great advice, and hard to do with it when you're... when you're solo, because you do wear all those hats. But it's important to recognize that you shouldn't be wearing all those hats.
Tricia: Not necessarily all the things that you do, but hire somebody to do it, for sure.
Contact Information and Final Advice
AJ: And now, the most important question, how can listeners connect with you if they want to learn more about you and your work?
Tricia: So, I have a website, personal website tricialea.com, T-R-I-C-I-A-L-E-A dot com, and that has all my links to everything, everything else that I do on there, and of course, on all the platforms, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
AJ: And I will put those links into the show notes as well, so it will be easy to access you. So, it has been wonderful talking with you today. Do you have any sage words of advice to end the show on?
Tricia: Do something you're passionate about. I think, like, if you could really think, like, I can make money doing the things I love. What do I love doing? Creating a business around that. Maybe pivoting your business a little bit to be more of what you love. Experiences in life to be able to help other people with the same problems, right? That's why when you become consultants, you become a consultant because you've been through those issues, and so that's how you can help others. So I think, you know, really getting clear on what you've been through. Right? It's like the whole idea of the formula behind your purpose. Whatever you've trained over, your passion, your skill set equals your purpose. And so, whenever you can really figure out what that is, it creates a whole different momentum in your business and in your life before you can actually develop that passion and purpose.
AJ: Great advice. Thank you. And that is a wrap on today's podcast. Tricia, thank you for being my guest today, and until next time, keep thriving through.
