Ep. 23: Photoshop for authors (with Regina Wamba)

Regina Wamba describes herself as a snarky introvert. She’s a nerdy rebel determined to do things differently. Alongside this, she is a professional dreamer and a super-charged pumped up creative. Hence why she started her photoshop online course.

Furthermore, her creations have received awards. She’s featured in magazines, and graced multiple New York Times & USA Today bestsellers lists. This landed her work in bookshelves across the globe.

Why she started her photoshop online course

She says, “My whole heart is in every venture I put out into the world whether it is from behind a camera lens, a wild fine art concept, a snarky tee, journals & books or world-trekking adventures. I’m an artist, mom, wifey, entrepreneur, and teacher building a creative empire to inspire and empower other creatives.”

Ultimately, Regina’s dream is to create the space for visionaries to collaborate. Basically, she wants artists to pursue their biggest dreams. Additionally, she wants people to know their potential, and always believe in their own unique magic.

Where to find Regina

• Website: reginawamba.com
• Instagram: @reginawamba

Read the full transcript below.

This transcript is created by a helpful but imperfect transcription bot. Please forgive any typos or errors.

Regina Wamba 0:00

I think through humor and and lightheartedness, you’re able to kind of relax and absorb versus being tense and so worried and stressed. Have fun with it and that that geekiness that I have over color theory. Now, color tells a story, and then you combine it with everything else. That’s magic. It’s it’s absolute magic.

Melissa Guller 0:21

That’s Regina Wamba. Self described snarky introvert and supercharged creative person. In this episode, we talk about how Regina first got into designing book covers, and how her creative entrepreneur journey evolved from there through today where she teaches others how to design book covers too. We also talk about having fun and why it’s so important to business. So get ready to laugh at all of our terrible jokes in this light hearted yet still educational episode of Everything is Teachable.

Announcer 0:56

Welcome to “Everything is Teachable,” the podcast that takes you behind-the-scenes to learn how everyday creators have transformed their skills and passions into online courses and businesses. To introduce this week’s episode, here’s your host, Melissa Guller.

Melissa Guller 1:15

Hey everyone, I’m Melissa from Team Teachable, and today I’m excited to be here with Regina Wamba. Regina describes herself as a snarky introvert, a nerdy rebel who is determined to do things differently a professional dreamer, and a super charged pumped up creative. Her creations have been given awards, featured in magazines, and have graced multiple New York Times & USA Today bestsellers lists, landing her work in bookshelves across the globe. She says, “My whole heart is in every venture I put out into the world whether it is from behind a camera lens, a wild fine art concept, a snarky tee, journals & books or world-trekking adventures. I’m an artist, mom, wifey, entrepreneur, and teacher building a creative empire to inspire and empower other creatives.” Regina’s dream is to create the space for visionaries to collaborate and artists to pursue their biggest dreams. She wants people to know their potential, and always believe in their own unique magic. So Regina, welcome to the podcast.

Regina Wamba 2:31

Thank you for having me. This is new for me. I know I’m just learning that I’m your first podcast interview. So I’m excited that we’ll be the first to share your story across the podcast interwebs. And just to kick things off, let’s start by telling people a little bit more about you. So of course we have your bio, but I’d love to learn since you have so many different creative projects and experiences. What were some of the very first ways that you started earning money as an artist?

Okay, So some of the very first wave was straight out of high school, I got my graduation money, a whopping $500 and I went myself to the local electronics store and got myself a film camera and I started taking senior pictures and weddings. So that was the first time I really started taking cash for artistry.

Melissa Guller 3:24

I feel like that’s maybe where a lot of people start is just getting a camera and kind of going from there.

Regina Wamba 3:33

Yeah, it was, um, laughable now, but it was something I wasn’t really thinking about in terms of making money. It just kind of evolved into that. So you know, I feel like when you’re a photographer or an artist in general, everyone sees you and you have a camera and they’re like, Oh, hey, she’s got a camera. She can take my pictures. And so that’s kind of just what happened was like, oh, here’s our friend. And here’s my friend’s sister’s cousin. That can do this and I was young and eager and and I rolled with it. And that evolved into a long list of other things, which I’m sure we’ll touch base on.

Melissa Guller 4:11

Yeah. I think it’s great that you just kind of started saying yes. And seeing what was out there. I think, no matter how old somebody is, it’s never too late to just say, oh, let’s see, maybe somebody will pay me for this photo, or maybe somebody will pay me for that design. So it doesn’t have to be like a huge, massive business plan. It can just be one person willing to pay you 50 bucks and see how it goes.

Regina Wamba 4:34

Absolutely. Absolutely. And that’s, that’s my story. That’s where it started.

Melissa Guller 4:39

So we’ve got the start. We’ve got the first camera, how did things then kind of evolve even I know beyond photography, you’ve got so many other things. So just tell us a little bit more about your story.

Regina Wamba 4:51

Okay, so after that, I went to school for Visual Communications and I got my degree in graphic design. And that taught me the computer applications right, you know, Photoshop, Illustrator, etc. And I started my graphic design degree. And then on the side I did photography. And so I had like, I went into the corporate shuffle and hated it. By the way, just a side note. I went in did did the graphic design jobs. I made recycling look really good. That was my, that was my corporate job. And then they also started saying, Oh, well, she’s got a camera and she knows how to use it. So we’re going to hire her to do all of our corporate photography and corporate headshots and stuff like that. And then this was kind of like the universal kick in the arse that I needed. I got laid off in 2009, the very beginning of 2009. And that was, you know, that was a recession back then. And that that started the real spark and that’s where my very unique niche of creativity comes into play. I knew that I was I was I wasn’t an ideal candidate for a new job. I was it was the downturn of the economy, everyone was getting the pink slips. And I was also about six months pregnant with my second daughter, so I was like, okay, you know, in this downturn of the economy, there’s no way that anyone’s going to hire me only to put me on maternity leave in about three months. So I took the leap and I decided to start my own business. And at the same time I was I was basically devouring books. And in that led me to talking with people like in online forums, talking about books, talking, talking to authors, and I was creating artwork based off my graphic design degree and my photography work. And that led me to creating book covers. And so with my graphic design degree and my photography, backup, I got myself a digital camera and started making digital artwork and here I am, like 11, 10, 11 years later doing book cover design and book cover photography.

Melissa Guller 7:03

What I think is so cool about book covers is it’s probably not something that any kid thinks, oh, I want to be a book cover artist When I grow up, but I have to imagine it’s a fun use of a lot of different creative parts of your brain and skills.

Regina Wamba 7:18

It is, honestly, it’s probably one of the funnest things because you’re challenged in so many different ways. You know, I’ve gone from doing historical fiction all the way to romance and fantasy and even like personal self help books, you know, business and coaching and stuff like that. So there’s a whole different you get challenged in in variety, right? So you get here I need these pictures taken for my personal self help book and then oh, I need these pictures taken where she looks like she’s wielding magic. So I get all kinds of different challenges and it just, it leaves me totally excited for what’s next for Because nothing is ever the same.

Melissa Guller 8:01

Yeah, I love that approach to where sure, you could say they might all be book covers, but because they’re all a different type of book, you get to explore a lot of different creative routes. So I imagine that keeps it really exciting and fun.

Regina Wamba 8:17

Yes, yes different storyline every single time.

Melissa Guller 8:21

I also am a total book nerd. So the thought of getting to work on different books, I think sounds like such a blast. But even in the earliest days, kind of right after the layoff. How did you find some of your very first books to work on?

Regina Wamba 8:36

Honestly, that was all through Goodreads. So if you’re a book nerd, you probably know Goodreads, which is a forum for authors and readers to rate and talk about books and just have conversations and so between Goodreads, Deviant Art, where I posted some of my digital creations, which I’m gonna like blush a little bit, but they’re still out there. The very first ones that’s where That’s where I started having those conversations and then going back and forth I would connect with the the authors on Facebook or or Goodreads or Deviant Art and we would just have conversations and pretty soon that led to contract work and and then that snowballed. And before you know it, this was, that was my full time, my full time gig. So it all started with a little conversation, a little networking.

Melissa Guller 9:25

I think that’s so smart and really good advice for anybody listening because I think too often, we’re given advice, like, oh, create social media accounts, or just doing all these things that create your own channel in a new place. But the truth is, if you can imagine where your clients are like Goodreads i think is a perfect example. Just starting up one to one conversations is really easy to do in those places. So I think maybe thinking outside of the box, a little beyond just social networks is a really great tip.

Regina Wamba 9:56

Oh, yeah, at the end of the day, people people want to connect with People, and that’s what social media or all these forums are for their people connecting it with like, likeness, you know, like, you and I like books we love reading, so why wouldn’t we go to a place where there’s more people who, who are like us, and then striking up those conversations and talking about their different endeavors, you know, at this time, when I was just starting this, this was self publishing was actually really, really new. So there was a lot of people who were like, I really want to write a book and I really want to try this and, and I was like, well, I love to read your book because I’m a, you know, a book nerd and that conversations started and then the artistry came in and, and it was organic. You know, a lot of people nowadays, they’re so concerned about, okay, where do I get my leads? And where do I what social media profiles Do I need and what analytics Do I need to have to run and, and that’s, you know, at the base of things, people just want to connect with people. And if you just strike up conversations and really, really do feel put your feelers out and talking to people about their interests, you’ll find that it happens more organically, I think, Hmm, I think that’s such great advice. And kind of speaking maybe of those organic conversations, you do more than book covers. I know your creativity has lots of different outlets. So can you talk to us a little bit more about just some of the other nifty things that you’re working on? That all sounds so exciting? Oh, yeah, for sure. Um, well, my personal artwork, I do fine art photography. So you know, how authors when they’re writing their story, they inspire imagery in your head? Well, I like to do the opposite, where I create an image and that inspires a story for my viewers. So it’s, it’s almost like I’m the author in a visual form. So that’s one thing that I’m doing that I picked up, you know, a few years ago where I just started taking on personal projects and making my ideas come to life, but then the self publishing industry has changed so much. And that has widened so far that I decided, while I was more hounded by people and my followers to to really teach people how to do what I do in book cover design, and that led to actually teaching and speaking about the intricacies of book cover design and Photoshop for the self publishing industry. So for book cover designers or authors who want to learn how to do their own marketing graphics, and understand the concepts of branding and mood and color and color theory, it all kind of makes me geeky, but how to tell a story visually. That’s, that’s kind of like my role. So along with book cover design and book cover photography, I’m also speaking at author conferences, and I’m also doing fine art photography to to just tell a visual story and help inspire people I’m coaching and mentoring and teaching courses and maybe one day, I’ll have a my photobook you know, kind of my own worst enemy here, and I can’t set a deadline for myself. So I just, you know, one of those things where you kick your own butt got to get it done.

Melissa Guller 13:11

I think we’re all are a lot of different, a lot of things.

Regina Wamba 13:13

I know yeah, we like get in our own way a lot. But yeah, there’s definitely some fire under there to get me get me moving on my own personal project of getting that photo book done. Because I am a visual storyteller. And that’s at the root of me. I want to be able to inspire people through through visual stories.

Melissa Guller 13:36

I love that idea. And I love to that you described your courses, like something you feel totally geeky about. And I feel like that’s exactly the feeling that you should have about any course or service that you’re providing. Like if you don’t feel at least a little bit geeky or excited about what you’re doing. I feel like you might get bored really quickly, but I hope that everyone feels that way about whether it’s art. Technology, sports fitness. Like it could be geeky about anything. But I think that’s a sign that you’re onto something.

Regina Wamba 14:07

Oh, definitely. I honestly think that everyone’s got their own like, calling, right? They’ve all got these little, little pockets of themselves where they get really geeky and nerdy. And they’re like, Oh my gosh, you don’t even understand the stock market is just so amazing. And there’s so many little things and I would be looking at you like you’re an alien, but the enthusiasm in which you have it that makes me interested, like, I want to know what you are so excited about. And that’s because like, people are amazing. Yeah, yeah, in my courses, I make it fun. I’m very light hearted. I’m kind of snarky and sarcastic. So it’s definitely not I like I try to infuse that humor because I know that tackling Photoshop and doing this, doing these courses and taking this on on your own. If you know for someone who doesn’t know or understand but wants to know, it can be overwhelming. And so I’m like, okay, you know, it’s okay guys. We’re all fools here and We’re gonna make it humorous and fun. And we’re going to do some funny things in here and we’re just going to have fun with it because I think through humor and and lightheartedness, you’re able to kind of relax and absorb versus being tense and so worried and stressed, have fun with it and that that geekiness that I have over color theory. Now, color tells a story, and then you combine it with everything else. That’s magic. It’s it’s absolute magic.

Melissa Guller 15:27

I love that. So let’s talk about your online course a little bit more, because I think there are so much to talk about that our listeners will love. And one thing that you mentioned earlier is that you weren’t just teaching a Photoshop course. But Photoshop attics, you’re speaking specifically to people who want to design book covers or even authors, is that right?

Regina Wamba 15:48

Yes, so I have three tiers as of now for Photoshop. So I start at the very beginner level. So all of these are targeted to people in the book covered or the book industry. So whether you’re an assistant to an author, whether you’re a designer, or an, an author yourself, the first tier is, is very, it’s like the very basics of things. Look, there’s Photoshop is big, it’s intricate, and I really just dumb it down. I’m like, Look, you don’t need to know about all of these things. Here’s what you need to know if you want to make these certain things. And then the second tier is compounding that knowledge and working your way through understanding like different genres and how to build through layers, how to build book covers, and the third, the third tier is really taking on way more of those those intricate details and tools. So that you can make these these grand book covers that you see you know, on bookshelves, your your goal is to be able to build up to that so I’ve literally started at ground zero, and worked my way up. So I’ve got Photoshop badassery excuse me, if if you don’t like cussing, Got the second tier, which is Photoshop wizardry and then the third one was Photoshop addicts. So I’ve I’ve literally gone in and started the bottom and I’ve created addicts.

Melissa Guller 17:11

I think that that’s so smart and could be applied to anybody who’s teaching or even providing services to instead of thinking that you’ve got to just throw it all in one course to break it down and really meet people where they’re at. And I even love the concept of creating attics. I think that’s exactly what we’re all trying to do. But you can’t just come at them and say, okay, you’re an addict, right on day one.

Regina Wamba 17:32

No, definitely not. We’ve got to you got to work up to an attic level, you gotta you got to earn that status. And it’s fun because now we’re having total You know, a lot of fun in my facebook group over the addiction problem that we now have.

Melissa Guller 17:46

Well, I want to say to one of the things I love the most about your whole magical world is the fact that you sound like a real person and you have a real sense of personality about you like how wizardry and attics like it’s not Photoshop 102 and Photoshop 103 and I find it both very refreshing and very fun. It makes me want to get to know you more.

Regina Wamba 18:13

Yes, I honestly like I said infusing humor is part of how I relate to people. And so when I was thinking about these for the people who follow me they already know like, yeah, we know that Gina’s I call myself Dina. Regina is snarky, and she’s kind of sarcastic and humorous. And so I wanted to approach that for people who are coming in who don’t know me to get to know me through through these titles like okay, we know that we’re going into to something that’s that might actually be fun, not Photoshop or one. That sounds like a snooze fest already. So I wouldn’t sign up for it. And I like Photoshop.
TeachableMelissa Guller 18:54

Just the concept of the naming. I think it’s something maybe people overlook, maybe they assume that they have to know at something very straightforward, or that you have to have very professional sounding copy throughout your website. But I think in fact, the opposite is true that if you write copy that sounds more like you sounds like a human, whether you’re very funny, or free spirited or snarky, like you said, or maybe you have just a super dry sense of humor. I think letting that show through is so important and I think you’ll find more of the right customers that way too.

Regina Wamba 19:28

Oh 100% copy is everything especially when you know they can’t meet you face to face so what they get is what you put out right so if if you have dry coffee, and then you have a wonderful approachable demeanor, you know, in your videos or in your in your course, they’re gonna be like, wow, this is such a perplexing thing. You know, people want to know who you are, because if they can relate to you on that first that very first introduction like that, I’m going to read about this chorus and if it’s dripping with this Same kind of relatability or humor or whatever that I personally am, I’m going to be more apt to click on this or buy it or move forward. But if you’re going to make it boring and kind of, you know, so professional that, that there’s no fun about it. People want to have fun even when they’re learning something new. I feel like it makes it harder to relate to the person behind it.

Melissa Guller 20:24

Totally. And I think people like fun. I mean, maybe that sounds obvious, but in the world of online business, I don’t think we get to talk about fun very often. But hopefully this is maybe encouraging some listeners to feel like they can be themselves they can be a little fun. and dare I say it might actually be good for business.

Regina Wamba 20:42

Oh 100% I mean, I’ve made six figures from these courses and I haven’t even been I haven’t been on Teachable for even a year yet. I can tell you right now it works. If you if you have fun with it. People will have fun with you. We’ll, we’ll click through because they’re your people, right? They’re your people they want to they want to connect with you. They want to, they want to crowd around you and understand what what the fun is all about. Like, it’s kind of like FOMO well, fear of missing out, right? I don’t want to miss out on all that fun. I want to I want to be in on that fun. She’s She sounds like a good time where he sounds like a good time, lady. If somebody’s gonna tell me how to make the stock stock market fun. I’m gonna join him because he makes it sound fun. But if it’s stock market 101 I’m probably gonna be like, that sounds like algebra. I don’t want to I don’t want to jump jump in on something that isn’t that isn’t fun.

Melissa Guller 21:37

Yeah. Such a good point. Now, have fun. Have fun with it. Yeah. You’ve been on Teachable like you said just less than a year and I’m sure people listening heard that and they’re like, ooh, how’d she do that? So let me ask the questions. So when you were first getting started, when you had that very first course, how did you find your initial students?

Regina Wamba 21:58

I mean, I’ve been in business for for 10 years. So I had a, a base of people who were following me, who were also asking me, like, Would you ever consider doing teaching? Would you ever consider doing mentoring? And then, you know, slowly but surely like the universe was telling me, Hey, you want you know, here’s a speaking gig where you can come teach people and so on and so forth. So I had a base, because I’d been in business for for quite a long time before digital courses really even started to come come about and take shape. But that kind of goes back to the first conversation about connecting with with like minded people, and having conversations. That’s how I that’s how I got my base of customers was by having conversations and relating to people and being bring friendly and relatable first.

Melissa Guller 22:49

I think that’s super important, especially in a world of like the internet where we’ve already been talking about being a real person and having fun, but I think it’s often easy to forget that We are talking directly to humans and not just, you know, followers or email subscribers and building up those relationships is so important. And I think the fact that you built a course and people were asking you about it is such a strong indicator. And I actually find it very refreshing that you had been in business for a while. And it’s not like this just happened overnight. I think it’s maybe more true story for most course creators to realize that there’s been a lot of groundwork there’s been one on one work, or there’s been a whole online business going or maybe building up a following somewhere where you’re providing really amazing content on a blog or something. And I don’t know I personally think it’s really refreshing to hear that it didn’t just happen overnight. I think it’s more real.

Regina Wamba 23:48

Yeah, it definitely it definitely took time to build the business and and make those connections and, and really strive for the excellence that that would want in return from a service provider. So, you know, my my goals are to make people happy and to make sellable art. Because in book cover design world, the book cover is the first thing that people see. So it’s, you know, there’s a lot of a lot of information that I’ve, I’ve built up and the connections I’ve made and the reviews I’ve collected to to make a sustainable business before I launched courses. Now, I could have launched these courses five years ago, but I didn’t honestly I didn’t know about digital courses that just kind of came about in the last three years or so is when you start hearing about them.

Melissa Guller 24:39

They are definitely growing in popularity, I think, even right now and 2020. People are still discovering that this is the thing you can actually do for real. And I know I talked about this sometimes but I’m always having to explain to my grandma what I do or what this whole online course thing is, and she gets it now she’s very hip, but I think that when We’re in the world of Teachable, you know, we know about online courses, but it is still a really new thing for a lot of people that you could actually earn legitimate money doing this.

Regina Wamba 25:11

Absolutely. Oh my gosh, knowledge is power. And if I feel like you know, sharing that knowledge is, is such an important thing, right? Because when you’re young and you’re eager, you want to learn you want to like let me just absorb everything and you know what I can’t even say young and eager. I just say eager doesn’t matter the age. Because I can tell you right now I still invest in courses I still invest in, in learning from from peers or from people that I want to learn from. And so that knowledge that the people that are actually doing the the courses and sharing their knowledge, I feel like they’re empowering more people to get step up and share their knowledge as well. On one end, you’re helping students or people who want to learn and then on the other side, you’re you’re also earning money. and supporting your family.

Melissa Guller 26:02

Mm hmm. It’s such a win win, I think. And maybe for people who are hesitant about the world of selling perhaps, I think it’s easy to see selling as a one sided thing, you get money. But in a good service provider relationship or with a great online course, hopefully the student is actually getting way more out of it than you are. They’re getting to learn something, they’re getting a new skill or some kind of transformation. I mean, money is great, but that kind of power could really help you know, in some cases change their lives.

Regina Wamba 26:36

Oh, absolutely. I can tell you right now that I have many students who have gone through my courses, and have come out and been able to sell their artwork and make made their initial investment on my course. threefold, 10, tenfold. So not only am I teaching and helping myself, but I’m also helping those businesses with their friends. Family and with their business and excelling their goals and dreams. And I feel very good about that. And you know, I’ve had some people come up to me and they’re like, why would you teach people your secrets? Why would you teach people how to do what you’re doing? I’m like,

Melissa Guller 27:13

I’m one person. I can’t do it all I why, why not? There is nothing. As far as I know, there is nothing out there in the world that’s teaching people how to do book cover design. That’s something you just kind of fall into. And why not share that knowledge for people? There’s plenty of authors and in the digital boom that we’re in, there’s going to be many more people have the the power at their fingertips to be able to write and publish. And so you got to share the knowledge so that we can all grow together. Mm hmm. I love what you said too, that people may question Why would you teach someone your secrets? And I wonder if that’s something that some listeners have worried about, like, oh, if I teach them everything I know, will that put me out of business but just based on the sheer volume of creators using Teachable, it seems like more knowledge only leads to more for everyone more for the student more for the Creator. And I think we found that it’s not so much that the info is secret. Like imagine how many people don’t know teach yoga, yoga is no secret. But it’s the way that the teacher presents the info. It’s their personality. It’s the fact that you love learning from them. And so everyone has their own unique spin or with you the fact that you weren’t just teaching Photoshop to anyone that you’re teaching to a really specific audience. I think those are the things that’ll set people apart.

Regina Wamba 28:36

Yeah, absolutely. You know, it goes back down to that personality. If you’ve got a certain niche, or maybe your yoga is special in a certain way, maybe you’re teaching yoga with goats. That’s pretty niche. I mean, why not? Teach them infuse it laugh, have a good time. And that’s going to be I mean, I’m going to I’ll tell you right now, I’m interested in yoga with goats. I would I would be down for that. So if someone’s teaching it and I can get my hands on some goats, why not?

Melissa Guller 29:05

Dude say no yoga. So yoga can exist, you can do anything people,

Regina Wamba 29:09

Actually, absolutely.

Melissa Guller 29:10

One of our early popular episodes of this podcast is with Deborah Nieman, who teaches people how to raise goats and she’s earning a full time living doing that. And I love her because she’s an absolutely wonderful human. But just, to me, the fact that you can teach people how to raise goats, and you can earn money to me that says, you can teach anything in any way that you want.

Regina Wamba 29:34

And she’s raising goats and teaching people how to do the same and she’s not worried about competition because she’s she’s in her world teaching raising her goats and teaching other people how to do the same. And making a living from it. I mean, that that’s incredible. absolutely incredible. And it does it shows you that anything is Teachable. Everything is Teachable. Yeah, I need to Yeah, yeah, definitely. I mean, more, more power. If you know something, you should share it. Yeah.

Melissa Guller 30:03

Love that. Now, before we start talking about maybe some other business questions, I do want to talk a bit about course strategy. So something that I know is true about one of your courses right now is that it’s not always open for enrollment. So there’s a waitlist going on. So can you talk a little bit more about the strategy that you use there?

Regina Wamba 30:28

Yeah, I so we tested both full open and we did an open close. And so I had started with an open close, and that did really, really well. I was actually honestly very shocked at how well I did and that’s how I won the Teachable award. I didn’t know I was signing up for the the creators challenge but I did win that because it did so well. So I didn’t open and close and That strategy seems to work better for me. I personally will follow and kind of foam at the mouth for something that I can I can anticipate for. It’s kind of like your new season, your season is coming out, right? I want to know when it’s coming out, I’m gonna stop the days I’m gonna count down with you. I can’t wait. And that anticipation is what’s worked for me. I feel like when the core stays open, it doesn’t work as well for me, just because then people are just like, well, I’ll get it. I’ll get it next month. And then next month comes like, well, I’ll get it next month. And there wasn’t really any urge, I guess to to sign up and make that happen. And we all have moments like that, right? Like, like my book, you know, I can just keep putting that off. So if there’s a if there’s a way that I can be like, Oh, well, I’m just gonna sign up because I know that the doors are closing or I’m gonna you know, stock, my favorite TV show cuz I know it’s coming out. I’m going to do that. So based on my own preferences, that’s how I set up my courses being open and closed. So they are closed right now. I just had my clothes going on two weeks now. And it did really well did really well.

Melissa Guller 32:16

I love that you tested it too, because much as you know, at Teachable, we do talk about how this open closed strategy, which means that your course is only available for enrollment for a limited time, and then it’s closed for a little bit. We’ve seen that work time and time again, it’s a proven strategy. But I also think as an online business owner, half of the fun is just getting to test and see what works for your own audience because you know them best and you never know it could have been true that having it available all the time may have worked. But what I will say that you said really well is that if there’s no urge to buy, people probably aren’t going to like they need a reason to say yes, and I think saying next month is about the surest code word. Never that you’ll ever hear. I know for me like, I need a reason I need you to tell me, this is going away. And then I will take action. But if it’s always there, it’s a little bit too easy to just say, oh, I’ll do it later. I’ll do it later.

Regina Wamba 33:15

Right. It’s like your subscription to the gym.

I’m gonna, I will, next Tuesday. You know, it’s like perfect. Okay, well, yeah. And then you know, a month later, you still haven’t hit any of your goals and you haven’t gotten any further. So for me personally, I did test both because there’s some people that I’ve followed or whatever that that they’re like, open all the time works, works hands down, but I feel like with open all the time, you have to have certain things in place like funnels and ads and constant redirects and emails, strategies and, and with open and close, where I do have communication and I do have some strategies in place. I feel like there isn’t as much information So if you’re a beginner at it, and you don’t have to, you don’t want to worry about doing huge funnels and a long list of email, strategies and everything, I feel like that’s a, it’s almost an easier way of saying, Okay, I’m going to communicate, communicate to my list. And it’s coming to be, it’s going to be open, you can run simple ads to to that particular freebie or sign up or whatever. And then you close it, you have that urgency, where you’re taking the long haul with the constant open.

Melissa Guller 34:36

I think that’s a really good point, actually, about it being simpler, because if you commit to saying, here’s my new course, it’s gonna be available until this date, and then I’m closing it, and then you’re done. You’re done. And on top of that, when it’s done, now you have the chance to focus on something else that matters a whole lot, which is providing an amazing experience to your students. Because if you just sell a course And nobody gets any results, then nobody’s going to be happy. And I think instead of just counting, you know, how many butts Can I get in the seats, if you’re counting how many people actually create a book cover in Photoshop, for example, like, that’s where the real magic is gonna happen.

Regina Wamba 35:16

That is, and so I do mention that, you know, people are like, well, when is it? You know, here’s the thing now is like, I get emails and messages, asking me when I’m going to open it again, I really wanted to get in, when is it gonna be open again, I can’t wait to get in where’s the list I can sign up for. So I personally close it so that I can focus on because I have a Facebook group where they can come in and they can get feedback and help and I want to be able to be there for people. So just like my business, I want to make sure that people leave with a good experience. And on top of that, like if you’re if you’re going to buy a course, and you want to learn something so so desperately, and you’ve invested this money, you want to come out feeling like that. A rock star, right? You want to walk out, like, in the cinemas and the hairs blowing and explosions are behind you, and you’re just feeling like a total kick ass person. You know, I just learned all this stuff, I feel fantastic. You want to walk out with that excitement. And that’s how I want people to feel. So giving them giving myself the space to be able to do that and say, here’s how I would help you in this or here’s, take a look at this, you know, I’m able to coach a little bit more. It’s not one on one coaching, but at least being able to come in with tips and tricks and a little bit more conversation versus, you know, just filling up the stadium. Hmm, that’s a powerful analogy. Don’t just fill up a stadium. You want people to walk out and do the like fist bump at the end of The Breakfast Club kind of a vibe. Yeah, I should feel your course. That’s what I’m talking about.

Melissa Guller 36:47

I do want to ask one more question about your Facebook group, which is I think the concept of community is becoming really important for courses where it’s not just about videos and downloads but actual engagement interaction So, what does your community look like for students? And how do you kind of keep the conversation going there?

Regina Wamba 37:06

Oh, gosh, it is, it is all kind of spread out. We have, you know, authors and designers and even assistance to authors in there. So it’s a spread of different kinds of people in the industry. But we’re all in there sharing, sharing color and, you know, sales for for fonts. And so through this community, we’re creating this, these wizards and these attics, and we’re empowering people to to look at the industry build on the knowledge that they’ve been doing in the course, and cheering them on when they’ve when they figured something out. And then of course, there’s always the technical issues when people are like, well, I can’t get my brush to work. And I’m like, try this and they’re like, Oh, my God, you’re the best thing ever. I couldn’t figure that out. I spent days. I want to be able to get in there. And same with everybody else who who’s taken the course they’re able to step in when I’m not available. They’ll be like, Oh, you’ve got to try this. Oh, you have to try this. Oh, I really love this great job. So it’s an empowering community of a range of people who are just having fun getting feedback and, and being vulnerable because doing something that you’re not used to doing, it makes you scared and timid. So being in a in a community where you actually feel safe to share is a huge part of of wanting this whole course thing to work. I want to tell cycle and bleed together as one.

Melissa Guller 38:32

Mm hmm. I love hearing you talk about your community because I think it really just drives home the fact that the course might have a start and an end, but there are probably always going to be questions and you’ll keep learning and the value of not just your expertise, but other people in your shoes or other experts is not just like invaluable Lee helpful but also must feel super empowering and inspirational to be a part of

Regina Wamba 39:01

Absolutely, absolutely. And you know, it’s, it’s not it’s not a stadium. It’s a small stadium of people. But it’s still, it’s still a community of people who really just want to help each other kind of like lift as you climb. Mm hmm. Love that.

Melissa Guller 39:17

And I think that the size of the room matters less than the people in the room. So even if you only have five people, you’ve got a great room to be in. And that’s far better than a room of even 100 with only five great people. So I think community in particular is definitely a quality game, not a quantity game.

Regina Wamba 39:41

I’ve always been about the quality, not the quantity. You know, you could have 500,000 quality leads, but you only get 50 you only close 50 and those 50 are going to be your game changers. Ma’am. They’re the ones that are going to route you on. They’re going to Be Your superfans.

Melissa Guller 40:02

Yeah, and super fans, I think are so important. Because if you don’t have any super fans, I think that might be a good area of focus for anybody earlier in your business. Because even just getting one or two people to get to that result is going to be a game changer for your business, not just because you have a testimonial, but you’ve got like proof that it works and you’ve got somebody talking about you. And I think that that’s way more important than trying to get a few more leads in your funnel.

Regina Wamba 40:29

Absolutely 100%.

Melissa Guller 40:32

So kind of along the same lines as we start to wrap up. I’m curious, are there any misconceptions that you think people have about your work or your business like what do they think you’re doing versus what you’re actually doing?

Regina Wamba 40:47

Hmm. That is a good question.

Melissa Guller 40:51

I like to ask because I think the world of running an online business or even having a course, is a bit of a mystery to a lot of people. They don’t know anybody who’s done it. And it seems like Could it be even possible that I could do something like that? So maybe if you don’t have like a misconception, just a peek into what does your day look like? or What does work look like for you?

Regina Wamba 41:15

Sure, like I have, I have one of those crazy brains that are constantly moving and boredom doesn’t sit well with me. So I constantly have my hand in a pot. But a date, I mean, a day to day thing for me is, is making sure that all of my clients are taking care of my personal clients, the ones that I’m actually creating for, and then breaking up my day by project, setting time aside for that communication and that connection, setting time for my own business and personal goals. goals. And if it’s not daily, it’s at least weekly. And then on top of that, making small tasks, task lists, I’m a I’m a list person. There’s a lot of creatives that are probably saying, yep, yep, love my lists, I love lists. So I’ll be able to break up my day into categories and really work make making sure that I get that quality versus quantity. I want to make sure that my clients are feel like they just you know, had a an amazing spa day, they feel great. They’re flipping their hair, they’re walking out all shiny and, and they they’re just so excited about where they’ve ended up through their process with me. And then making sure that my communication through social media and everything is engaged and it’s it’s quality and I’m having conversation and cheering people on. And then you know, connecting with with my students, people, people who are In need of guidance, and that’s what they’ve signed up for is that that guidance, so they’ve signed up to learn, but they’ve also signed up for help they, you know, they’re not going to get everything and that’s okay. Because when you’re learning something new, you’re gonna have questions. And so I want to be there. So I just, I just break up, I break up my day, per category. And so with all the different businesses I run and the different facets of me, I just break them up per category and give each one a little bit of time. And on top of that, now I’m I’m homeschooling kids. So it’s a it’s definitely a full day and it’s definitely taken, taking some things and put them to the backburner. But, you know, you got to find balance where you can.

Melissa Guller 43:40

I think that’s such a helpful piece of advice and thinking about different categories is something that any of us could try when we’re thinking about our days. And I noticed too, that so many of the tasks that you mentioned are about relating to people, whether it’s your students or your clients and just being really present with them. I think that’s such a great point, too, that it’s not just about like, checking off items and doing things, but also checking in with humans and seeing how people are doing and making sure that they feel taken care of. It’s a sign of a great service provider and a great teacher too.

Regina Wamba 44:14

Yeah, absolutely, yeah. If you just take a little bit of time, every day, sit down, answer the emails, or the phone calls. And make sure that you put people at ease, because when they hire someone, right, they, they’re always going to have hesitation. And so you want to make sure that there’s no hesitation that they feel good, you feel good, and everyone’s on the same, same page. So if you’re, you know, if you’re investing in something, you want to feel good about your investment, you want to feel good about your, your, your purchase. And so that’s where I step in and be like, we got you, I got you, and we’re gonna make awesome together and that and that’s how I approach basically anything where it’s anyone besides myself, you know, whether I’m photograph photographing a model and we’re creating art or I’m doing a client Shoot or I’m creating these these courses, I have to think outside of myself how how are we going to create magic together? And what does that involve on my part? To make sure that they feel like that this boom, you know, feel awesome at the end of it. Mm hmm.

Melissa Guller 45:18

So well said, Well, I am definitely feeling awesome coming out of this interview and I hope that our listeners are too and if they do want to keep in touch or learn more about you, where can they find out more?

Regina Wamba 45:30

I am everywhere under Regina Wamba and you can find my courses on my website you can find my Instagram and the fine art stuff and all of my crazy brain right brain ventures. On my website, reginawamba.com

Melissa Guller 45:49

Perfect. Well, before you go, I’ve had such a blast getting to know you a bit better. But do you have any any last words of wisdom or daresay a little bit of fun for our listeners today?

Regina Wamba 46:02

You know, at the end of the day, you’re a total badass and I’m sorry if if you don’t cuss or if that’s, that’s hard on the ears, but you’ve got this you’ve got the knowledge, you’ve got the power, believe in yourself and, and stop saying tomorrow because that’s what’s going to trip you up. And it’s actually going to make you doubt yourself even further and just do it. The first time I launched my first course. I had everything up and running within a week and I had signups and money pouring in. So when I say I rip the band aid off, I did, I just fell in. I did it and I said no more being scared. I’m just going to do it. So get out there, share it, do it and be a rock star man. Have fun with it.

Melissa Guller 46:57

Thank you so much for joining us this week. You can learn more about Regina Wamba and Teachable in the show notes at Teachable.com/eit23. That’s Teachable.com slash E I T TWO THREE. Before you go, make sure you subscribe to our podcast so you can receive new episodes right when they’re released. You can either subscribe right in your favorite podcast app or you can sign up for email alerts at Teachable.com/podcast. And if you’re enjoying the show, I hope you’ll let us know! We love reading through your reviews in Apple Podcasts, and if you have a minute to spare, we’d love to read yours, too. On behalf of Team Teachable, we hope you enjoyed this episode about running a business but still having fun with Regina Wamba. We’ll see you in the next episode of Everything is Teachable.