Borrowed Audiences, Big Results: How Michelle Schafer Grew from 1-on-1 Coach to Bestselling Author and Sought-After Speaker

Dustin [00:00:00] What does it actually look like when a coach stops waiting to be discovered and starts choosing to be found? I’m really excited today to share with you an inside look at a spotlight session that we did recently with one of our clients.

Dustin [00:00:08] Michelle Schafer is an amazing person, as you’re going to hear in the session that follows.

Dustin [00:00:12] We hosted a live event with Michelle, and she was able to unpack her story: over the past 18 months, she went from a relatively unknown career coach in a province of Canada to someone who has been on TV, grown their book of business, and recently appeared on one of the largest podcasts in the world called The Art of Charm.

Dustin [00:00:33] The topic at hand is “Borrowed Audiences, Big Results: How Michelle Schafer grew from a one-on-one coach to a bestselling author and sought-after speaker.”

Dustin [00:00:44] Please enjoy this inside look at Michelle’s story. I hope you have a lot of big takeaways and big insights. Most of all, I hope you see how you have what it takes to be proactive and grow your business by sharing your authentic story and serving other people’s audiences in a big way.

Dustin [00:01:14] I—

Intro You are listening to the Seven Figure Leap podcast. We’re here to leverage rich relationships and smart strategies to take your business to the next level. Here’s your host, Dustin Reman.

Dustin [00:01:32] Welcome, everyone. I really appreciate you being here. This is something new that we’re doing today.

Dustin [00:01:39] We’re going to do a spotlight session with one of our clients—one of my good friends—and someone that walks the walk. Someone that entered my world in October of 2024.

Dustin [00:01:50] Michelle and I were talking before we let everyone else in and hit record: she joined our program—you’ll probably hear “PPA” a lot today. Podcast Profits Accelerator.

Dustin [00:02:01] There are a lot of people on the call today who are part of that or are going to be part of that soon, which is exciting. We’ve got a lot of guests here as well.

Dustin [00:02:09] We’re also going to release this on our podcast as a client case study. The idea today is to really shine the light on Michelle, listen to her story, and understand what has transpired in her business over the last 18 months or so since we started working together.

Dustin [00:02:28] She has a unique, inspiring story. I’m working on a book right now, and she’s a key case study in the book. I thought: why don’t we have this conversation in front of other people so you can benefit from it, ask questions, and hopefully get some practical insights and breakthroughs for how you can grow your own business through borrowing other people’s audiences—and doing so consistently.

Dustin [00:02:52] I think that’s Michelle’s secret sauce, if I had to summarize it in a few words.

Dustin [00:02:58] Michelle, thank you so much for being here. I think the best way to start is to give us a snapshot of your business today—who you serve—about your book, and the recent appearance you had on a pretty big podcast.

Dustin [00:03:12] Then we’ll work back from there to the beginning and unpack your story a little bit deeper.

Michelle [00:03:19] Absolutely. Dustin, thank you so much for the invitation to join everybody here today—and certainly for all of your support since we first met.

Michelle [00:03:28] Welcome to everybody. Definitely some familiar names and faces on the call today. It’s great that you’re able to join us.

Michelle [00:03:36] It’s really interesting—I think my story is one of consistent light touches.

Michelle [00:03:41] In terms of what I do: I’m a career coach. But really, I help people bypass frustrating job-search strategies in order to help them find work that gives them energy, for companies that believe what they believe in. That’s their “why.” I believe everybody is entitled to do that.

Michelle [00:03:59] I work predominantly with individuals who have experienced job loss. There’s a lot of that—I’m in Ottawa, Canada. There’s a lot in Canada, certainly in the U.S., and even internationally—people looking for work.

Michelle [00:04:12] There are also individuals who just don’t have energy for their work anymore—maybe because their company has gone through a restructure—and they’re looking for something new.

Michelle [00:04:23] I joined the PPA program because I wrote a book. I’m going to show it here: Cultivating Career Growth: Navigating Transitions With Purpose. It’s on Amazon.

Michelle [00:04:36] I really wanted to heighten my visibility—not just in terms of my business, but also to gain attention for my book.

Michelle [00:04:45] If I look back to when we first met, where was my business at that point? My visibility was really confined to hoping people would find my website, and the limited work I was doing on LinkedIn to promote myself and talk about how I can help clients.

Michelle [00:05:02] I’ve been coaching for 10 years, and I only really started getting on LinkedIn more actively about six years ago.

Michelle [00:05:10] If I fast forward to today, my visibility is way more than what’s on LinkedIn—way more than my website.

Michelle [00:05:18] I’ve been on about 40 podcasts—maybe a little bit more than that—in the last year and a few months. A large number of podcasts.

Michelle [00:05:27] That has really increased my visibility. It’s driven traffic to my website. I promote these episodes on LinkedIn, so that increases my visibility.

Michelle [00:05:37] It’s really given me an opportunity to talk about the value I can bring to clients—how I can help them find new work and be less frustrated and discouraged in the process.

Michelle [00:05:48] This program has really given me the opportunity to get out there more—to put myself out there. That was a vulnerable move—and be seen on a bigger stage.

Michelle [00:06:00] Thank you, Dustin, for making this program available and giving all of us the opportunity to get noticed by podcasts, by hosts, and share our value with a bigger audience than we had before.

Dustin [00:06:13] We’re going to talk more specifically as we go through the journey. It started with podcast guesting, that’s been the core—but there’s also been radio and TV, and a really large podcast most recently.

Dustin [00:06:26] One thing that’s really interesting: when I think of our interactions—maybe even before you joined—and certainly in the first couple weeks in our program, there was an early inflection point.

Dustin [00:06:39] I’ve worked with about 300 people in this program. The fact that I remember this moment is telling.

Dustin [00:06:46] There was a breakthrough early on: a discussion about your target market. You were juggling a couple different worlds as far as the bullseye client you really wanted to focus on—not only for the book, but for your primary coaching practice.

Dustin [00:07:02] That ties into: who do you want to reach with the podcast opportunities you get.

Dustin [00:07:07] If you recall that as vividly as I do, can you go back and tell us—before podcasting was part of the journey—what was the decision point or the breakthrough around target market?

Michelle [00:07:20] Yes. I remember that conversation vividly.

Michelle [00:07:24] Before getting on podcasts—even pitching yourself—you have to be really clear: who is your target market? Who are you trying to reach?

Michelle [00:07:33] Then, what podcasts will give you the greatest access to that audience?

Michelle [00:07:38] I’ll admit: when I started in the PPA program, it was a little murky for me what that target audience would be. I was wearing multiple hats.

Michelle [00:07:47] Yes, I’m a career transition expert and coach. I work with individuals trying to find new work.

Michelle [00:07:55] But the other hat I wore was leadership coaching—helping new and emerging leaders develop the competencies to be the kind of leaders people want to work for and stay for.

Michelle [00:08:08] I was wearing both hats. When we talked about who my target was, I was on the fence: I was working with leaders, and I was working with individuals who needed a job-search plan to find new work.

Michelle [00:08:21] Through that conversation, I remember you clearly saying: “You need to pick a lane.”

Michelle [00:08:28] Where do I have the greatest impact? What am I known for? What audiences really seek me out—if I’m honest with myself?

Michelle [00:08:38] When I did that reflection: as much as I still love working with leaders, the primary audience seeking me out were individuals who were discouraged.

Michelle [00:08:48] By the time they reached out, they had already started looking for work on their own and weren’t getting the results they hoped.

Michelle [00:08:56] Some people were mass applying into the abyss and getting zero interviews. Note to everybody: that is not a strategy if you’re looking for work.

Michelle [00:09:05] They basically had no plan—no strategy. They were just applying, maybe randomly talking to people. They also had no target.

Michelle [00:09:15] When I was honest with myself, I realized: that’s the audience I can serve the best. They’re the individuals who really need my help.

Michelle [00:09:25] That became the core when I reached out to podcast hosts. My results and speaking points aligned to that target market.

Michelle [00:09:34] I remember feeling uncomfortable. I didn’t want to pick a lane—I enjoyed working with both audiences.

Michelle [00:09:43] But I could see: it’s confusing for companies if a candidate applies for multiple things and doesn’t have a target. It’s confusing for podcasts if I’m serving multiple audiences—they don’t know where to place me or how I’ll add value to listeners.

Michelle [00:09:58] Getting specific on that was step number one before I did anything.

Dustin [00:10:05] I want to double click on this. I think anyone listening can relate.

Dustin [00:10:11] I’ve said that up until two years ago, there wasn’t a point in my adult life that I didn’t have at least three businesses or jobs. That is not good.

Dustin [00:10:21] One of the things we hear from people is: they want to get on podcasts, they want more exposure, they want to grow their business.

Dustin [00:10:30] But on day 90, when we ask what moved the needle, two things always come up: clarity and connection.

Dustin [00:10:39] Connection matters because we do this in a community, in cohorts. It generates leads and does marketing things—but it’s also one of the best ways to get more clarity.

Dustin [00:10:50] Clarity ultimately is kindness. We challenge people because we want you to have a bigger impact and use your skills and abilities in the biggest way possible.

Dustin [00:11:01] The only way to do that is to commit—to pick one path, knowing you can always shift. If you don’t pick a path and run with it initially, you can’t get clear on where the resonance and signal are.

Dustin [00:11:15] Another principle: your target clients—the best clients you can serve—are often in a period of transition.

Dustin [00:11:23] Anyone in business: the place to find people who are most willing, most committed, and who will see the biggest results—and want to pay the most for those results—are in some period of transition: health, wealth, relationships… in your case, career transition.

Dustin [00:11:39] People show up to case studies and say: “Tell me about all the podcasts. How did you get on them? How much money did you make?”

Dustin [00:11:47] We’ll talk about that—but before all of that, we start with the first P in our five-P framework: purpose. Getting clear on who you want to serve, the transformation you provide, and the words that resonate to your ideal client in their transition.

Dustin [00:12:05] Thank you for articulating that so well.

Dustin [00:12:08] Once we got past that, we started looking for podcasts and pitching them.

Dustin [00:12:14] Consistency is the theme of your journey. What was it like to start getting on podcasts—week by week—before you got a virtual assistant involved and started scaling it up?

Michelle [00:12:26] I pitched myself on podcasts for probably nine months before I got anyone else involved.

Michelle [00:12:33] I got clear on how it works, what podcasts work, and how you adjust the pitch for different hosts.

Michelle [00:12:40] Week to week, I built podcast research and pitching into my routine.

Michelle [00:12:46] Every week I set a goal. I wasn’t pitching 10 podcasts a week—maybe two or three. Sometimes more, sometimes less.

Michelle [00:12:56] The important part was week over week doing something: putting myself out there, connecting to new hosts, and researching podcasts that were a good fit.

Michelle [00:13:07] Google is your friend. ChatGPT is your friend. AI can help you.

Michelle [00:13:14] I also kept an eye on my LinkedIn feed and the thought leaders I followed. What podcasts were they on? I’d add those to my list and reference that I followed the podcast—showing I was paying attention.

Michelle [00:13:28] I always made light touches. It wasn’t about aggressive pitching or volume; it was about quality.

Michelle [00:13:36] I also leveraged the PodMatch community. It got me practice and onto smaller podcasts—that’s where I started.

Michelle [00:13:45] I didn’t start with The Art of Charm. There’s no way. I had imposter syndrome even with that one.

Michelle [00:13:53] In the early days, I thought there’s no way I could get on big podcasts.

Michelle [00:13:58] So I started small to build confidence, get familiar with the podcast world as a guest, refine speaking points, bring in client stories, and develop my call to action.

Michelle [00:14:12] Then I was able to grow from there.

Michelle [00:14:15] In the beginning, I wasn’t fussy about global reach.

Dustin [00:14:20] That’s such a great Canadian word. You weren’t fussy.

Michelle [00:14:24] It’s a good, humble word. There are clues that I’m Canadian.

Michelle [00:14:30] I went to Los Angeles a few weeks ago for The Art of Charm. I was in a restaurant and asked to use the washroom, and the server said, “You’re Canadian, aren’t you?”

Michelle [00:14:40] I didn’t look for global reach. That wasn’t important. I wanted to add value and share strategies that help people.

Michelle [00:14:49] If it had a “zero point” global reach on Listen Notes… Listen Notes will be your friend if you’re interested in podcasts; it tells you reach.

Michelle [00:14:58] Starting small and being consistent was my strategy.

Dustin [00:15:03] I love that.

Dustin [00:15:05] You mentioned you’d been doing this for at least nine months prior, but something switched.

Dustin [00:15:11] Part of it was focus and target market. Part of it might have been accountability, the momentum of a community.

Dustin [00:15:19] Was there anything that made it different—did your pitch change, your mindset, the process, better tools?

Michelle [00:15:28] It was a combination.

Michelle [00:15:31] Early on, I recognized having a clear structure for the pitch was key.

Michelle [00:15:37] I got my first yes within weeks of starting.

Michelle [00:15:41] Hosts have complimented my pitch. They’ve said: “I get hundreds of pitches a week, most are garbage or generated by AI. Yours stood out.”

Michelle [00:15:54] This is part of your structure, Dustin. The system works. I don’t mess with it—I still use it exactly as I learned it.

Michelle [00:16:03] My subject line grabs attention. I quote an episode—so they think, “Episode 138—what does this person want to say about that?” They open it.

Michelle [00:16:13] My subject line doesn’t say “Request to be on podcast.” That’s a fast track to delete.

Dustin [00:16:20] It comes from a place of service.

Dustin [00:16:23] They’re not AI generated—quality over quantity—personalized. Not a game of sending a thousand and hoping.

Dustin [00:16:32] What’s your mindset when crafting these pitches, and how did that lead to compliments?

Michelle [00:16:39] I show I’m paying attention. I’ve listened to the podcast. I know who their audience is. I’m not pitching something they’ve already covered.

Michelle [00:16:49] I go into past episodes to see where I can add value.

Michelle [00:16:54] I’m clear about what I can offer, without a lot of words: three crisp bullets.

Michelle [00:17:02] For example: “Five reflective questions everybody should ask before they change jobs.” That grabs hosts.

Michelle [00:17:10] I also integrate credibility: stats from a recent podcast, that I have a book, where people can find it.

Michelle [00:17:19] Those things increase credibility and encourage hosts to say yes. The personal aspect appeals to hosts.

Michelle [00:17:28] I’ve had rejections and non-responses, of course. But with follow-up and relevance, and targeting the right podcasts, hosts will want you on the show.

Dustin [00:17:44] I love that.

Dustin [00:17:46] I’m going to pop up a graphic here (for those not familiar with the framework).

Dustin [00:17:52] The first 30 days are foundational assets: finding the right shows, writing a master pitch you can customize.

Dustin [00:18:02] Then we talk about performance: what you do on the podcast to make it effective. Then: how it affects your business, and how to scale it so it doesn’t become your job.

Dustin [00:18:19] Before we get to scaling, tell us about your interview preparation and the importance of the end of the interview—your call to action.

Michelle [00:18:31] I start by refreshing my memory on the target audience, and listening to a couple episodes—even just the start and end if I don’t have time for a whole one.

Michelle [00:18:41] That gives a flavor of the host’s style. Some hosts ask a key question at the end of every episode—if you don’t know it, you might be unprepared.

Michelle [00:18:52] I also make notes. Some hosts are open-ended and it’s a conversation; I want a few key speaking points.

Michelle [00:19:01] Other hosts are more scripted and send questions in advance. I check in with the host on their style.

Michelle [00:19:10] The main preparation is the “magic Post-it note.” It sounds simple, but it’s a way to log key info.

Michelle [00:19:19] I write the host name—how to pronounce it (phonetically if needed). I note my key stories.

Michelle [00:19:28] I also log my call to action: what I’ll recommend and share with listeners.

Michelle [00:19:35] That preparation helps me on air—some podcasts are live, some recorded with editing.

Michelle [00:19:44] During the recording, I integrate key speaking points and client stories. People love stories and want results, not just theory.

Michelle [00:19:56] The end is a golden opportunity: don’t miss sharing the call to action.

Michelle [00:20:03] I also give freebies. Without this program, I wouldn’t have realized I should have a giveaway.

Michelle [00:20:11] I share two freebies: a free chapter of my book (“try before you buy”), and a reflective tool with key questions everyone should ask before looking for a job (whether you have one or not). It includes a short video on how to complete it.

Michelle [00:20:29] I also ask the host: “How can I be of service to you?” I always leave a review and promote the episode on LinkedIn.

Michelle [00:20:41] My virtual assistant is on the line right now. They prepare clips from the video podcast.

Michelle [00:20:49] I make my own LinkedIn post, tag the host, and I promote the episode throughout the year—not just once.

Michelle [00:20:59] For example, today I posted about leveraging your network to find your next job, with a clip from a podcast I did last year and a client story.

Michelle [00:21:10] Repromoting gives visibility to the host and to me. It’s a win-win, and people learn something new.

Michelle [00:21:19] You want to be the guest the host has on again—and I have been invited back on some shows.

Dustin [00:21:26] Do you find being a top 1% guest leads to referrals—from one host to another host?

Michelle [00:21:35] Yes. Hosts have referred me to other hosts.

Michelle [00:21:39] I’ve also had hosts refer individuals to me—people in their circle who are looking for work.

Michelle [00:21:47] I had a host refer one of their own clients to me. They shared our recording before I even saw it.

Dustin [00:21:58] That’s awesome.

Michelle [00:22:00] Podcasting has a bigger life than just the podcast. It’s turned into repeat appearances.

Michelle [00:22:07] In one case, a host and I have regular quarterly chats (both coaches), and that came from the first appearance.

Michelle [00:22:17] I’ve never had a bad conversation on a podcast. Each host has their own style, so you need adaptability. But the conversations are engaging.

Michelle [00:22:30] My mindset is: not “Will I get new clients?” but “What can I share that will help listeners in a vulnerable, frustrating, discouraging time?”

Michelle [00:22:41] When you go in with that mindset—and you’re prepared—it flows.

Dustin [00:22:49] A bigger principle is being a pro.

Dustin [00:22:53] Consistency is one part: some weeks you don’t have it in the tank, but you still do one pitch.

Dustin [00:23:00] Preparation is another part: the Post-it note forces clarity and primes you to step into the arena.

Dustin [00:23:10] It’s like an athlete ritual before performing.

Dustin [00:23:15] You did it consistently, took it seriously, treated it like a professional—and that creates compounding results over time.

Dustin [00:23:26] You control the controllables. You show up to serve, plant seeds, build relationships, and be clear with your call to action.

Dustin [00:23:38] After the interview, you maximize the impact: leads, sales, evergreen content reuse, relationships, and authority.

Dustin [00:23:54] Your authority has grown dramatically—so it’s easier to get on the next podcast and bigger podcasts.

Dustin [00:24:04] Now tell us about your virtual assistant, Angela, and when you decided to get help—plus whether it was important to pitch on your own first.

Michelle [00:24:18] Yes—absolutely. I wanted familiarity with pitching myself before bringing anyone in.

Michelle [00:24:26] As a business owner, one of the hardest things is letting someone in to help you.

Michelle [00:24:34] One benefit of being part of your community is the workshops and strategy discussions.

Michelle [00:24:41] In one workshop, the question was: what’s your big goal, and what’s standing in the way?

Michelle [00:24:47] I realized what was standing in the way was trying to do it all myself. That didn’t allow enough time to do the thing I love: one-on-one coaching.

Michelle [00:24:59] I set a goal last year to finally work with a virtual assistant. I hesitated: “I don’t have the right person; I don’t trust anyone.”

Michelle [00:25:10] I did find someone. Before Angela, I worked with Sarah (from this community) who did podcast pitching. Sarah got me on The Art of Charm because they were trained in your system.

Michelle [00:25:26] But I needed someone who could do more than pitching—so enter Angela.

Michelle [00:25:32] Angela is starting to do podcast pitching for me recently, in addition to other tasks.

Michelle [00:25:39] That allows me to get in front of hosts without taking the time for research and pitching.

Michelle [00:25:46] Because Angela has gone through your training and our conversations, I trust them to pitch on my behalf.

Michelle [00:25:54] Now I can show up on the show and share my expertise.

Michelle [00:25:59] We have a weekly pitch goal, and they’re starting to execute it.

Dustin [00:26:05] That’s the next level of professionalism: empowering others to help spread your mission.

Dustin [00:26:12] We encourage people to bring help in around week five, after the founder refines messaging, show selection, pitch, and performance.

Dustin [00:26:24] That’s how you scale without losing ownership of the function.

Dustin [00:26:30] Now, present day: what does your business look like? How has the book done? You’ve been on TV, on The Art of Charm—give us a snapshot.

Michelle [00:26:44] My online visibility is way different.

Michelle [00:26:48] Years ago, if I Googled myself, I was on page five of results. Now I’m on page one pretty consistently. I attribute that to podcast appearances.

Michelle [00:26:59] I’m very active on LinkedIn—four out of five days of the week—talking about job search and exploring new career paths.

Michelle [00:27:08] I ask people how they found me. Some heard me on a podcast. I’ve had podcast listeners refer me to other people who became clients.

Michelle [00:27:19] Others say: “I found you through a ChatGPT search prompt,” or “You were in a Reddit thread.”

Michelle [00:27:27] You can appear in places beyond what you’re doing yourself.

Michelle [00:27:32] Consistent presence and visibility has raised the bar.

Michelle [00:27:37] For The Art of Charm—I had imposter syndrome. I was floored when they accepted.

Dustin [00:27:45] It has ~10,000 Apple Podcast reviews; it’s a big show.

Dustin [00:27:52] How did it happen—relationships or referrals?

Michelle [00:27:56] It happened organically: research, alignment, and pitching.

Michelle [00:28:02] I got on The Art of Charm not because I knew AJ (the host), not because of relationships, and not because someone recommended me—it came from the pitch structure.

Michelle [00:28:15] They asked me to come to LA; I doubted it and asked Dustin: “Is this real? Is it a scam?” He said: “No—you want to go.”

Michelle [00:28:27] I flew to LA. It allowed me to build the relationship with the host more.

Michelle [00:28:34] The episode dropped, and I engage with AJ on LinkedIn: commenting, promoting the episode, tagging them.

Michelle [00:28:44] Who knows—maybe there’s an opportunity to come back, or for AJ to refer someone to me.

Michelle [00:28:52] We talked for over an hour, longer than many shows. We were aligned, the energy flowed, and it was a great conversation.

Michelle [00:29:04] If you’re wondering, “Can I do this?” my answer is a resounding yes.

Michelle [00:29:10] But don’t go in with the goal of “I’ll increase my client base by 30%.” Maybe it happens, maybe it doesn’t.

Michelle [00:29:18] At a minimum, it increases your visibility with your target market—and that’s the best benefit of all.

Michelle [00:29:27] If someone would pay me to do this, I would. I love it. I’ve been on morning TV and radio shows focused on looking for work.

Michelle [00:29:39] Allow yourself to try it, build confidence, and be playful. It’s a conversation—not reading off a script.

Michelle [00:29:47] Tell stories. Have your call to action. Give listeners something of value. It’ll come back to you tenfold.

Dustin [00:29:58] We have a few questions in chat; we’ll squeeze in what we can.

Dustin [00:30:04] For those listening: if you want to explore this and learn more, go to sevenfigureleap.com/call and book a no-obligation call.

Dustin [00:30:16] Michelle, thank you for being our first spotlight session.

Dustin [00:30:20] Any closing thoughts for someone who wants marketing to be fun, but struggles with imposter syndrome—especially introverts?

Michelle [00:30:31] Imposter syndrome still pops up sometimes. I’m human.

Michelle [00:30:38] But from October 2024 to now, being on podcasts and having repeated experiences has built my confidence.

Michelle [00:30:47] I’ve always had ease of speaking. My kids used to tug on my sleeve when they were young: “Mommy, stop talking.” Now I’m leveraging that talking into something productive.

Michelle [00:30:59] Believe you have value to share, and share it with an audience.

Michelle [00:31:05] If you feel uncomfortable thinking “Thousands of people will listen,” focus on the individual conversation with the host. Others will listen, but focus on the one person in front of you.

Michelle [00:31:18] Branding is important. How you show up on a podcast should be consistent with how you show up on LinkedIn and with clients.

Michelle [00:31:28] People have said: “I read your book and you sound the same,” or “I heard you on a podcast and you’re the same one-on-one.” Make sure the real you shows up.

Michelle [00:31:41] That authenticity matters, especially when using podcasting as part of your marketing.

Dustin [00:31:48] Podcasting is approachable: long-form, educational, and conversational. You don’t have to put on a fake persona.

Dustin [00:31:57] Michelle, thank you again.

Michelle [00:32:00] Thank you, Dustin. Thank you everybody for being online, and great questions today.