* ACADEMY 4 IS NOW FULL AND UNDERWAY*
But don’t worry, the doors will open again soon.
Have a read below, and if it sounds up your street, drop me a line and we can have a chat.

Pssst…

You got this link because someone* KNOWS you are special.

(*by someone, that’s either me, or someone who knows you.

Or you might just have received this link through a beautifully targeted marketing strategy, which I can’t wait to share with you btw. Anyway…)

Got an idea in the shoebox under your bed that FINALLY. MUST. BE. LIBERATED?

Or not sure where to go next with your career, just AS LONG AS IT’S NOT HERE?

Or maybe you’ve already got your project out there in some form, but want to create the space (and accountability) to get focused/grow/be more targeted/pivot/be more resilient/earn more money/learn more about niche marketing/hit ‘publish’ without being sick on your keyboard/find customers you REALLY want to work with, (you know, ones with shared values and loves)/remind yourself (and the world) of why you’re doing what your doing and where your higher purpose lies?

If the answer is ‘yes’ to any of the above, then you’ve come to the wrong place.

Only kidding!

You’re in the best ruddy place possible, obvs.

So here’s the deal.

I’m on the hunt for just six top peeps to work intensively week over eight weeks.

That’s six lovely peeps to hold hands and make the jump together.

By the end of the eight weeks, (as long as you’ve put in the work, obvs), I GUARANTEE you will have a well-researched, highly targeted plan and made a confident start ‘getting your boat out of the harbour’ and towards your dream.

Ready to take the first step? Hit the ‘apply now’ button below and let’s chat!

Once you’ve applied, I’ll drop you a line to set up a chat to see if the Academy is right for you at this time.

After that, I’ll send you all the on-boarding instructions when we’ve got a gorgeous group ready to go.

One place has already been grasped by a top, top lass, so don’t muck about if you’re serious about exploring your next project and want to join our gang. It’s going to be fun. And thought-provoking. And scary.

But don’t worry, we’ll hold each other’s hair back and will be ‘considerately cheering each other on' every step of the way.

How Academy 4 works...

Academy 4 is an accelerated eight-week version of my Academy, so it’s only for those who are deadly serious about getting their shit together and going for it. 

(Don’t worry though, sick bags are included).

• We will work together as a group of six over eight, special weeks.

• We will meet up one hour a week as a group on Zoom, at a fixed time, to report in and hold each other accountable for our progress and 'considerately cheer each other on'.

• We take one step at a time through my tried and tested process so you don't get overwhelmed and can get focused and targeted on your 'Why?' and 'tribes' with manageable goals.

• Each week, I will unlock an online module for you to work through, so you can access my tools and resources, and give you an assignment to complete for the following week.

• All the work is action learning and is 100% focused on YOU working on YOUR project and helping YOU achieve YOUR project goals.

• You'll also get 1-2-1 consultations and coaching with me. 

Oh yes, that's 26 years of marketing experience and creative thinking. Just for you.

By the end of the eight weeks you'll have a highly targeted and focused marketing and content plan and will have got your ‘boat out of the harbour.'
Heard enough?

Want to know more? Keep on reading.

What’s the time commitment?

You will need to beg/borrow/steal/bribe an average of ideally up to eight hours a week to work on your project, every week for the full eight weeks.

You will also need to block out a fixed hour each week for our group Meet Ups on Zoom. 

Same time. Same place. No ‘f'fin about. 

If a bit of sick came up just then, then a) you’re in good company and b) you’re probably female. Oops did I say that out loud? Fellas - this is in no way meant as a criticism, in fact it’s a compliment! I really admire the way some fellas seem to be able to make time to do their own stuff each week,

AND, SISTERS, IF YOU’RE SERIOUS ABOUT GETTING YOUR BOAT OUT OF THE HARBOUR, YOU CAN TOO!

Honestly.

There's nothing kids love more than being locked in the cellar for an hour.

It builds resilience.

The ‘journey’

Why pick me and my Academy to help you birth your baby?

Elizabeth Gilbert, author of ‘Big Magic’ warns against calling your project ‘your baby’, as the metaphor could cause problems further down the line when you need to do stuff like ‘sell your baby’. She has a point. But go with it for now.

So, why me and the Academy?

1. 26 years of experience as an award-winning brand and marketing consultant and copywriter.
   I’ve worked with the big boys like BP, M&S, BBC, but in latter years followed my passion working with startups, small businesses and social enterprises. Clients tend to come to me with pretty much the same issues and having made the same mistakes. I’ve created the Academy as a more cost-effective way to avoid the most common marketing mistakes.

2. My coaching and training experience for startups and established businesses.
   I’ve set up and run several successful startup incubator and business accelerator programmes, both in my role as Social Entrepreneur in Residence at the University of Sheffield, and as a Digital Media Centre supporting creative startups as part of my social enterprise, Silent Cities.

3. My entrepreneurial experience of ‘walking the walk’.
   I’ve given birth to a few businesses and a social enterprise myself, and have loads of learning to share from those. (Okay, so mostly what not to do. But the point is, I aint no armchair business advisor. And you know all those demons that are popping in to see you right now? Well, we’re old friends. And we can deal with them together!) More recently, I’ve learnt loads of positive stuff by setting up a work model that moves you towards the kind of life you want and need to be healthy and happy. And this is perhaps the part that I’m especially excited to share.

4. I’m not. Your. Typical. American.
   In fact I’m not American at all. I’m from Sheffield. Nothing against our American cousins (well, aside from the 46.8% that still voted for that toxic, misogynist, terrifying toddler). It’s just a point of difference from many other startup coaching/online learning programmes, that may not get the nuances of our UK sensibilities and demons such as ‘The Victorian Lady’ who finds the idea of social media ‘most distasteful’.

5. It’s truly blended action learning.
   So is it a coaching programme? Or an online learning programme? Will I learn about marketing? Or how to set up a business? Will I learn something about myself? Is it a process that you’re going to lead me through? Or a set of tools to help me do it for myself? Or is it more of a self-help group for a bunch of crazy folk who refuse to ‘just settle’ any longer? The answer is, all of the above. And then some.

6. ‘I’ll be with you every step of the way’.
   All that usually means with other programmes is ‘watch my pre-recorded videos online, and see my face on a weekly ‘Facebook Live’, in an intimate and personal setting of several thousand other students, and have your Facebook questions answered by my team of minions’. They don’t really get to know YOU. They don’t come up with ideas for your business while they are in the bath or walking the dog. They don’t leap out of bed at 2am to make notes on an idea they have for you, or send you a link to a radio programme that pertained to a 1-2-1 you had the previous week. I’m not knocking the other models and ways of doing it. This is just different. That is all.

7. We’re a tight-knit group.
   A gang of sisters and brothers. ‘What goes on tour, stays on tour.’ We pledge to meet up each week and be accountable to each other so we can get shit done. Group accountability is a big part of why the Academy works - especially for those who find it hard to prioritise their own stuff over other people’s. Yep, if you can’t prioritise your own stuff the healthy way, there’s nothing like a bit of group shame to help you do it! Imagine turning up without having done your work for the week. Ooft!

8. It’s a hand-picked group of people who I know will get on and inspire and support each other.
   These days, I confess that I’m pretty choosy about who I work with. It’s a big part of my 'Why?’ - to work with interesting, sound people who feel like friends. Each Academy is only as good as the people on it, so I only pick people who I know will work well and have fun together. I have turned people down where the fit didn’t feel right.

9. My award creds.
   Awards include: 2019 Award for Creativity, The Sheffield Star (for ‘outstanding contribution to creativity across Sheffield and beyond’); winner of Lord John Brown Award for Innovation, for a training programme for BP; featured in the most prestigious design award annual D&AD for copywriting for John Smedley; winner of Campaign of the Year in the National Housing Awards for a campaign that helped secure 6 million to combat isolation and loneliness in Sheffield.

10. It works.
    After 26 years of working as a consultant, I’ve put my tried and tested process and tools online so I can help more people at a more affordable cost. And it’s working. Previous Academies have included wonderful and inspiring individuals, from startups to marketing directors of established businesses. Check out the testimonials below, and if you want to speak to someone who has been on the Academy, let me know and I can hook you up with an Academy alumnus!

Heard enough blah?

Or want to know more? Drop me a line for a chat hello@justjuzza.co.uk, or keep on reading….

What’s the cost?

The price for Academy 4 is 1k.

Yep, that’s 1,000 of your English Pounds (or your equivalent currency for my pan-global sisters and brothers), for the full, fabulous eight weeks.

The price includes access to all the weekly online learning, access to all the tools, the process, the weekly group Meet Ups, and two 1-2-1 coaching sessions with yours truly.

There will also be bonus material and masterclasses that I’ll put your way as/when/if you need them.

We can arrange flexible Paypal payment plans to spread payments over a few months, if that helps.

The point is, I don’t want money to be a barrier to the right people applying.

But equally, there’s nothing like putting up a grands-worth of investment in yourself as a serious statement of intent.

But I know what some of you might be thinking…

1k? In February? Coming out of a global pandemic? Entering what will be, quite possibly, the worst recession of all time?

ARE YOU NUTS?

To which I say this…

There will ALWAYS be money in the world, it’s just that the sectors and the people who have the money will shift and change.

The Academy process will help you work out where you fit into the new landscape, and help you build a business around what the world wants, and needs, coming out of this bonkers last few years.

And also, ask yourself this…

When was the last time you regretted investing in yourself and your own personal development?

Will your dream ever make it out of the shoebox under your bed if you don’t have some accountability (and in particular, some financial accountability) attached to it?

And above all, the killer question to end all killer questions…

What’s the cost of you staying where you are?

Ready to put your money where your mouth is?

Need to know more? Keep reading…

A few words from some of the folk I’ve worked with…

“I’ve achieved my ANNUAL target turnover in just three months. ”

— NEIL WHITELAW, WWW.THEWOODENTHUSIAST.CO.UK, ACADEMY 2

“Within six months of following Justine's process, we had doubled our sales volume.”

— KARL HALLAM, OWNER OF INDEPENDENT AND ETHICAL OPTICIANS, EYEYE, CLIENT

“The blog I set up in the Academy now has 2.7k visitors from 64 countries.”

— MIRANDA PLOWDEN, DIRECTOR AT SOUTH YORKSHIRE HOUSING ASSOCIATION. www.mirandaplowden.com,  ACADEMY 1

“I wish I’d have known this stuff years ago - really understanding your tribes saves so much time, money and stress when commissioning branding and marketing!”

— JUSTIN ROWNTREE, BLEND SOCIAL ENTERPRISE, ACADEMY 2

“I realised that my ‘Why?’ wasn’t actually about deciding whether I was employed or self-employed - the Academy helped me realise I could achieve my ‘higher purpose’ in either setting. I’ve now taken my model to TikTok where it can help employees all over the world.”

— JACQUI WILMSHURST, GLOBAL HEAD OF EMPLOYEE WELLBEING (TRUST AND SAFETY) AT TIKTOK, ACADEMY 2

“I now have a clear purpose, know who I need to target and how I reach them.”

— ALISTAIR PONTON, MD OF VIEWPOINT RESEARCH CIC, ACADEMY 1

“Justine’s thinking is inspirational, and she brings it all to life with examples from her own practice and how to apply the tools. She really gets you thinking and gives you a quick ‘in’.”

— MIRANDA PLOWDEN, DIRECTOR AT SOUTH YORKSHIRE HOUSING ASSOCIATION, ACADEMY 1

“Justine helped me structure my thinking and my planning. Her method helps you be precise and targeted and stops you from being scattergun. ”

— KARL HALLAM, FOUNDER OF ETHICAL AND INDEPENDENT OPTICIANS, EYEYE, CLIENT

“I would recommend the Academy to anyone wanting to find a clear way forward. Justine and the Academy made the world of difference to Cube Construction Consultants.

It gave us a clear purpose and direction through 2020 and provided strong direction for 2021. We know why we are doing it, what for and how!

The best investment in training I’ve ever made.”

— MARK JOHNSTON, DIRECTOR AT CUBE CONSTRUCTION CONSULTANTS, ACADEMY 1

“This is a great course to help you and your marketing get niche and Justine really helps you to understand your target market and how to reach them ☺️”

— LEIGH BRUNSKILL, COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR AT CCF ACCOUNTANCY, ACADEMY 2

“We weren’t just learning how to market ourselves, but we were also learning about our misperceptions…having tea with your demons, you get underneath the bonnet of how we THINK about this stuff which is just BRILLIANT.”

— JULIANN HALL, CO-FOUNDER OF BOOKBENCH SHEFFIELD, DIRECTOR OF CARE AT SOUTH YORKSHIRE HOUSING ASSOCIATION,  ACADEMY 1

”I now know who I need to target for Book Bench and how I reach them. The tribe mapping process is so rich with insight. It really helped me to think differently about my project as a concept, and will shape the whole way that it runs moving forward.”

— JULIANN HALL, CO-FOUNDER OF BOOKBENCH SHEFFIELD, DIRECTOR OF CARE AT SOUTH YORKSHIRE HOUSING ASSOCIATION,  ACADEMY 1

“Doing the research into my tribes and competitors made me realise I DO have something useful to contribute to discussions on social media.” 

— ALISTAIR PONTON, MD OF VIEWPOINT RESEARCH CIC, ACADEMY 1

”You helped me see which bits to do myself and which bits to give out (and who I needed and what to ask for!)”
MAUREEN SYDNEY, ARTIOS COACHING, ACADEMY 1

“The process gives you permission to be authentically YOU. ”

— NEIL WHITELAW, @THEWOODENTHUSIAST, ACADEMY 2

”There’s no question of being short-changed. The programme does not feel ‘off the shelf’ - it’s really bespoke to what you need. Plus you share the cost with five others, so it’s great value for money too!”
— ALISTAIR PONTON, MD OF VIEWPOINT RESEARCH CIC, ACADEMY 1

”It’s more than just a safe pair of hands that makes me return to Justine time and time again, it’s for that little touch of indefinable magic.”
— AMALIA BOOKER, DIRECTOR OF THE SCHOOL FOR SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS YORKSHIRE, CLIENT (AND MENTOR)

My Academy three-step process

Over the last 26 years, I’ve honed my approach to creating a marketing strategy into three seemingly simple steps.

In the Academy, I’ll work with you to untangle the marketing and social media fog by working through these three simple questions.

Can you answer them?

The Academy leads you through these three questions, one step at a time, to help you overcome the following problem…

The problem (pre Academy) - lack of focus

Getting your business off the ground can feel pretty overwhelming. As can the world of social media when you’re ready to get your message out there. Who should you be targeting? On what social media platform? With what type of content?

The solution (post Academy) - get niche

Sound good?

Still want to know more? Keep on scrollin’…

Is it time to sit down and have a cup of tea with your demons?

In ‘Demons’ week in the Academy, we sit down and have a cuppa with the demons that have been (or probably will) hold us back from getting our project out there. Then we tweak their noses, or give them a hug, or work out our ‘emergency medicine’ for dealing with them when they pop in to say ‘hi’.
Here’s just a few demons from previous Academists.
Ring any bells?

Ready to tweak those demons on the nose?

STILL need to know more? Blimey, you ARE thorough. Good for you.

More below…

What magic happens when you align your ‘Why?’ with your ‘Who?’

Neil has worked successfully in the corporate world for over 30 years. Five years ago, he started woodturning as a hobby.

He joined the Academy to explore a future life where he could turn his passion for all things wood into something that would generate a moderate income so that he wouldn’t have to work all year in a real job, and to move him one step closer towards the dream of a simpler life.

Here’s his description of the Academy approach and what great things can happen when you align your ‘Why?’ with your ‘Who?’

Ready to work with lovely Scottish fellas like Neil? (Only joking, though in the interests of full transparency, he is now officially my boyfriend. I know. Funny how things work out. In other non-related business news from Academy 2, I am also now officially the Godmother of a rescued squirrel.)

Ready to apply?

Still not ready? Squirrels and Scottish men with strong hair not your thing?

How about a picture of Manchester Design Legend, Peter Saville savouring a cigarette?

The Taking Stock Dreamer

Alistair is Managing Director of Viewpoint CIC a wonderful social enterprise based in Sheffield, Leeds and Doncaster. We’d already worked together on his ‘Why?’ and ‘Who?’ and had created a new brand and website, but he joined the Academy to create a strategy (and confidence/motivation) with his social media plan - that closely aligned his ‘Why?’ with his ‘Who?’. During the Academy we created a ‘quiet strategy’ and ‘content manifesto’ - a clear guide for the type of content that he felt (more) comfortable creating. Since the Academy, we have been working together one day a month to keep his social media content moving.

The Hustle your Hobby Dreamer

Maureen is recently retired and wanted to take her coaching skills out to support teacher wellbeing. She wasn’t sure where to start or what platforms or content to focus on to reach her audience. Following the tribe mapping research, she discovered that Facebook was the place where many teachers still ‘hung out’. We focussed her strategy on creating a closed Facebook group, where she could build trust before ‘selling’ her workshops and courses. She’s created lots of great free content, including vlogs and has been enjoying herself too! Please check out her group and share with any teachers you know! https://www.facebook.com/groups/teachersrevitalised

Why are the number of places restricted?

I only accept six people onto each Academy so I can work with them closely and give maximum support.

My Academy vision was to build a group where people can share ideas and genuinely support each other, in a space which feels safe and fun.

Many online courses imply a level of personalisation, when in fact they are one of hundreds, sometimes thousands of other learners.

With mine, you actually get ME, PLUS six other weird and wonderful brains to help you with your project.

Here’s what a few of my first cohort said about what they got from being part of a gang…

Or to quote the wisdom of a hero closer to home…

Ready to apply?

What, Hawley hasn’t sealed the deal either?

Maybe now is not our time dear friend, but please keep in touch as there will be lots of other exciting things happening (and some free stuff too).

Sign up to the mailing list for details!

Good luck one and all with your hopes and dreams for 2021, and thanks for reading!

Juzza

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