The Sisterhood Of The Traveling Cash: (Invest In Yourself, Solopreneur).

I was exhausted. I needed a “comfort movie”, one that wouldn't make me think too hard.

I chose “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants,” a teen-movie about four girlfriends who find a pair of secondhand-jeans that magically fits each of their bodies perfectly. Over the summer, they stay connected by taking turns passing the jeans to one another.

The movie is surprisingly deep, covering topics like grief, love, human dignity, and finding one's voice. Every time the traveling pants are sent forward, something life-changing happens to the girl wearing them. I cried more than once.

It made me think of something that's happened in my business life:

I want to tell you the story of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Cash.

A few years ago, while I was getting my courage up to turn Business Coaching from a side-hustle into my primary profession, my friend (and fellow therapist) Sommerville was just starting to offer wilderness and travel adventures as part of her practice.

I wasn't making much money yet, but nervously wrote her a big check for her “Rugged Renewal” trip to Patagonia, as a symbolic vote of confidence in the future-success of my coaching business.

(And frankly, I just really, really wanted to go. Side money-lesson: people will find a way when they really want something!).

The trip was incredible and life-changing. She's an amazing guide. And the process of investing in myself helped boost my motivation to pursue my dream-business, while simultaneously helping propel Sommerville's business forward (my joining meant she had just enough people to run that first trip).

A few years later, as post-pandemic life was opening up travel opportunities again, Sommerville hired me for business coaching to help shift wilderness adventure and travel to the forefront of her business.

By investing in herself, she was helping propel my business forward, but more importantly, she propelled her own: she's offering more varied and adventurous trips than ever, and people are buying.

In fact, some of the marketing I encouraged her to do worked on me: I recently invested in myself again by signing up for her sea-kayaking trip to Baja. I cannot wait to receive her wisdom, fun and warmth as I have another adventure.

As I was paying for the trip, Sommerville and I joked that we basically keep passing the same chunk of money back and forth every few years!

And here's the thing: like the Traveling Pants, every time we send that chunk of funds to one another, life (and business) changing events happen.

Note: we didn't go the cheap route and barter (ex. “Give me a discount on the trip and I'll coach you for free in return”). That would have kept us stuck in scarcity-mindset.

Nope, it was the act of taking the leap and investing in ourselvesthat made the changes happen.

Every time one of us took a deep breath and nervously put a big chunk of money towards our dreams, we were sending a clear message to ourselves and our intentions: “I'm all in.”

As my first coach said to me, “Money is the language of commitment." -And when you commit to your results, big things happen.

(And like Sommerville & I have found, the money comes back).

What are some changes you want in your business (and life)?

I don't think they're going to make a movie out of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Cash, Jane. But I'll always enjoy my favorite images of what happens when you invest in yourself: