Turning Your Mistakes into Momentum (Even Your Belly Flops)

Entrepreneurship

Oct 14

As an entrepreneur and coach running an online business, I’ve had my fair share of bellyflops. And just like a bag of Belly Flops jelly beans—those quirky, “cosmetically challenged” candies from Jelly Belly—my mistakes don’t look pretty, but handled well, can turn into sweet moments with my clients.

Like the time I sent a reminder email for my first live masterclass… after it had ended. Or when I delivered two virtual workshops that were the absolute best I’d ever taught—only to discover they didn’t get recorded. Once, I shared out the wrong sales page for a program, resulting in someone enrolling before I had the chance to fix the price.

And there was the time when I tested the shopping cart functionality for my first course, and managed to become the first paying customer because the coupon code I used wasn’t set up yet.

Just this morning, I sent not one–but two reminder emails–to my Own Your Message cohort for the same event—addressing every single one of my beloved students as Cheryl. (Spoiler alert: only one of them is named Cheryl.)

In my perfectionist days (15 years of inner work, but who’s counting?), I would’ve beaten myself up, spiraling into self-criticism that could last for days. As a business owner with a big vision for impact, it’s not an option. When mistakes happen, instead of asking, “Why did I do that?” or “What will people think of me?” I switch to a better question, “What can I do to make things right and even make it better?”

Because like the misshapen Belly Flops I’m addicted to, every mistake has hidden value. It’s a lesson that will help me run my business better. Spot a system that needs optimizing. Or an opportunity to even delight a client.

Here’s how I’ve turned some of my “bellyflops” into breakthroughs:

Missed the workshop? I hosted an encore and provided unlimited replay access.
Shared the wrong sales page? I honored the lower price a student got—no questions asked.
Paid for my own course? It became a gut check I now use to validate every offer I create. If it felt great paying full price for it, I know I believe in bones the value I’ve created and I sell with greater confidence.
Addressing all my current students as Cheryl? I offered them a special perk: send me a page of content, and I’ll give them 20 minutes of complimentary, rapid-fire editing support. Who knows, they just might want me to mess up more often!

And now, here I am, turning today’s email belly flop into content (hello, this blog post) to share with you.

One of my mentors, Selena Soo, would say, “Entrepreneurship is one of the most spiritual journeys you can take.”

She's so right. Real growth doesn’t happen when everything goes to plan. It’s in the belly flops—when we choose to bounce back.

Entrepreneurship requires acting with courage every day: trying new things, riding the financial waves, and, most importantly, learning to embrace mistakes with grace and dignity.

And like the jelly beans I love, things won't come out perfect every time. But when you find new ways to look at your mistakes and quirks, you discover ways to add extra value, delight and love in the world. Isn’t this what an authentic, irresistible brand is all about?