Meet Michelle Kuei | Creator of Attract Clients Through Storytelling

We had the good fortune of connecting with Michelle Kuei and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Michelle, what do you attribute your success to?
The most important factor behind the success of my brand is resilience.

I believe that “Nothing worth doing is easy!”

In 2019, I published my book, “Perfectly Normal: An Immigrant’s Story Of Making It In America” in 2019, with no marketing background or experience on how to launch a book. I went door to door in my neighborhood to promote my book.

I went from one networking event to another. I was exhausted and didn’t have much success in breaking into the “business” world because I just didn’t know how to sell my book and promote myself.

I remember sitting among a group of business women at a networking event one day feeling completely discouraged and ashamed while wondering how the heck they were able to do this. I felt like my business was a beautiful book sitting on a coffee table, with everyone walking by, but no one picking it up.

Driving around town, door to door, knocking on every door that has events, hosting events, and maybe that would even allow me to bring in events to offer me a place to share my story.

Sadly, while my passion was still burning inside, what I heard was crickets and no.

A trunk full of passion, but no one wanted to offer me a place to speak and tell my story.

When you have no audience who listens, who cheers you on and no loyal friends who religiously share every single thing that you do, when you have to build a business from zero audience, no matter how clear you are, you are not gonna get that stream of paying clients and perhaps feeling discouraged at the time.

Point is…things will always get better.

They always do.

You get better every day by trusting that process, and just simply following in your path. Our journey is never about ourselves. It is always about the people you serve. See that and lean into it. Having the resilience to get back on your feet and the willingness to try it again.

Oh, and also grab coffee, stay caffeinated. You’re going to need that.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I am a certified visibility and marketing coach, a trained storytelling master, and a content and email marketing strategist. I am the founder of Elevate LifeCoaching and the course creator of Attract Clients Through Storytelling.

I work with aspiring introverted female coaches to teach them how to use the power of storytelling to attract their dream clients so they can turn a passion for coaching into a profitable business.

Getting a text at 2 am from a client living abroad with exciting news to share: she signed up for her first PAYING client.
This is just one example that excites me about my work.

I consider myself a storyteller.

To be more precise, I’ve been a storyteller all my life. I believe we all are because humans live in stories. It’s the internal narratives we have within ourselves and hows we choose to pass down these narratives to others.

I started my coaching business from a story.

I was driving to Walmart one day, and as I got out of my car, I noticed there was a stain on my T-shirt. This happened a few times already, and I couldn’t figure out where it came from. That day, I decided to sit back in my car and think back to how this stain got there.

As I looked down, there it was: My belly was rubbing against the steering wheel, leaving a stain on my shirt It was a light bulb moment for me. I realized that for all the years that I was feeling sorry for myself, I had neglected the most important person in my life: Me.

I had a job and lifestyle many women could only dream of, with supportive friends and family, but I didn’t feel fulfilled or happy with myself.

It was at that moment I realized that something had to give.

That something was me.

You see, I’m physically disabled from a car accident that happened when I was 11, and it resulted in permanent damage to my legs. I’m 4’4”, and I walk with crutches. The last thing I ever wanted was to get more attention from everyone… I just wanted to blend in. I didn’t want to be different.

Standing out in the crowd because you’re different is a very lonely thing. I wanted to belong. I wanted to be part of the norm.

So when I had my light bulb moment, it was my wake-up call to go on my own Hero’s journey.

I decided that I wanted to climb Machu Picchu, and I worked so hard to get ready for it. This journey didn’t end when I returned from my trip. It continued and helped me to start a coaching business.

This life-changing transformation taught me that every woman deserves to have a place in this world. Their stories matter.

It’s the untold story inside each woman that got them to where they are today. There are many other women who feel they don’t have the courage to be seen or heard.

Coaches and entrepreneurs, they are in a very unique position where their story is going to inspire someone else in the audience, whether it’s the clients they’re currently working with or their followers on social media.

Your story needs to be seen and heard. The work you do is priceless. People are willing to pay you for what you can do for them. The way you tell your stories is what will attract, delight, and inspire someone to get up from their seat today and take action.

This is what I teach in my Attract Clients Through Storytelling or ACTS for short. It sets a foundation for this new way of marketing your coaching business without the old-fashioned, vanilla “one-size-fits-all” strategy of chasing and finding your prey. Rather, it’s about telling your story that builds the connection between you and your audience that inspires them to sign up for your program, follow you on social media, come to your event, or maybe simply subscribe to your newsletter.

People connect and build bonds through stories.

By the time this interview comes out, you might catch me in the middle of offering my 3-day free live masterclass where I teach you how to use storytelling techniques to create powerful connections with your audience, quickly build trust and credibility, and even make sales through the power of stories. It’s a free offer, so women coaches and entrepreneurs who want to learn the power of storytelling are welcome. But if you happen to miss this round, don’t fret! I got another one coming in a few months. So, feel free to jump on my waiting list, and you’ll be the first one to know when I offer this again.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
One place in Arizona that I would recommend to all my friends is Sedona. A few years ago before I became a coach, we had a family vacation in Sedona. We drive to Sedona and decided to take a more scenic route through the mountains and woods.

The views on the scenic route were just absolutely stunning! It was a bit scary having to drive at night though since there were no lights on the road and all these twists and turns.

When you finally get into the City of Sedona, the magnificent red rocks and the energy that fills this sacred land is just amazing! We stayed at one of the resorts in the city- Amara Resort. Being able to wake up and see the mountain few of the red rocks as you enjoy your cup of coffee in the morning is definitely the best memory I ever had.

While in Sedona, I would definitely make a trip to see the Chapel of the Holy Cross. It makes you really wonder how one builds such a beautiful church on top of the red rock.

Now, if you ever decide to take a drive get on the interstate to Los Angeles, I got another whole list of favorite spots to share in Los Angeles as well. Griffith Observatory is my preferred spot for a panoramic view of the city. If your visit aligns with the summer season, we might even be fortunate enough to catch a live concert on the lawn.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Shoutout to one of my business besties, Judie Bicknell. She’s an amazing professional speaker, health and wellness coach, and consultant who left her 9-5 job after experiencing a serious health condition. At the peak of her career, she was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, which led her to quit her corporate job and went on a path of self-discovery journey. She is now passionate about helping individuals to take control of their health so they can live healthier lives to create the wealth and life they always wanted. She’s been a friend, mentor, and big support to me on my journey.

Website: http://elevatelifecoaching.org

Instagram: http://instagram.com/elevatelifecoach

Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/michellekuei

Twitter: http://twitter.com/michelle_kuei

Facebook: http://facebook.com/coachmichellekuei

Youtube: http://youtube.com/michellekueispeak

Image Credits
Ashlee Hamon Kimm Fowler Lauren Comes