Midlife Business Academy - Business strategies for midlife entrepreneurs ready to grow and get more clients.

Lori Lyons, Business and Marketing Strategy and Coaching
  • 5.0 (16)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

You're not starting from scratch — you're starting from experience. And now it's time to build a business that actually fits your life. If you're in your 50s, 60s, or beyond and ready to grow a coaching practice, rebrand your service business, or reinvent your next chapter — the Midlife Business Academy is your go-to space for clarity, clients, and practical strategy. You're in the right place if you've ever asked: How do I grow a business that fits my life in midlife? What stage of the client journey am I missing in my marketing? How do I get more aligned, long-term clients without hustling harder? How can I simplify and streamline instead of constantly starting over? What should my website or lead magnet actually be doing for me? Am I charging for tasks or for transformation? How do I use my energy, not just effort, to attract the right clients? What does it mean to run a business that supports your SOUL? Whether you're shifting out of corporate, scaling an encore business, or turning decades of experience into a new source of income, you'll get smart coaching, marketing strategies, and a fresh lens on what it really takes to succeed in midlife. Subscribe to the Midlife Business Academy for high-impact episodes that help you grow a sustainable, profitable business — one that feels deeply aligned with who you are today. Lori Lyons is a business strategist,digital marketing coach and website agency owner who helps entrepreneurs over 50 build profitable businesses that support the life they want now — not the other way around. Resources: Click HERE to receive your free gift – Get Clients to Say "YES!" The Ultimate Social Proof Checklist Every Business Needs to Build Trust and Boost Sales Link - https://ignitingyourbusiness.com/socialproof Join Lori's private Facebook group – The Midlife Business Academy. A Facebook group for The Typewriter Generation! A community to share business growth strategies that work for us! Join now! (Link - https://www.facebook.com/groups/2401957983398808) Connect with Lori (Link - https://lorilyons.me/contact/) Follow me on social media - grab other free resources of book a call - it's all right here!

  1. 4H AGO

    324: Reinventing Your Identity: From Empty Nest to PhD with Dr. Karen Diegelman

    What happens when the "Brady Bunch" years are over and the house suddenly goes quiet? For many women, the empty nest isn't just a change in schedule - it's a full-blown identity crisis. In this "Hot Seat" coaching episode, Lori Lyons sits down with Dr. Karen Diegelman, a former special education teacher who proved it's never too late to start over by earning her PhD at age 56. Together, they strip away the "coachy" language and dive into the raw reality of midlife transitions. If you've ever walked into your child's empty bedroom and felt like a stranger in your own home, this episode is for you. 3 Things You Will Learn in This Episode: How to Separate "Mommy" from "Self": Learn to identify the specific symptoms of an identity crisis and how to validate your past without letting it stall your future. The "Shrine" vs. The "Space": Why giving yourself permission to reclaim physical space in your home is the first step toward reclaiming your mental space. Aspirational Business Growth: Why high-ticket clients pay for a "transformation" (like saving a marriage or finding a new purpose) rather than a list of PDFs or coaching calls. Join the conversation! Are you ready to reinvent your next chapter? Visit MyCoachLori.com to schedule your own Hot Seat. Schedule your Profitable Path Blueprint call.  If you're considering working together and want to see if it's a fit, book a Profitable Path Blueprint Call. It's a simple, no-pressure conversation to decide whether working together makes sense.  Resources: Click HERE to receive your free gift - Get Clients to Say "YES!" The Ultimate Social Proof Checklist Every Business Needs to Build Trust and Boost Sales Join Lori's private Facebook group - The Midlife Business Academy. A Facebook group for The Typewriter Generation!  A community to share business growth strategies that work for us! Join now!   Connect with Lori Follow me on social media - grab other free resources of book a call - it's all right here! Apply for a "Hot Seat" coaching session to work through your business challenges live: MyCoachLori.com

    47 min
  2. 323: Why Coaching Fails: The 4 Types of Coaching and How to Stop Wasting Money

    FEB 24

    323: Why Coaching Fails: The 4 Types of Coaching and How to Stop Wasting Money

    You followed the advice. You finished the course. You did the work. Nothing changed. Most coaching does not fail because the coach is bad or the client is lazy. It fails because the type of coaching does not match the actual problem. Lori breaks down the four types of coaching: support, tactical, performance, and transformational. You will learn how to identify what you have been buying, what you actually need right now, and how to stop repeating the same expensive pattern. If you have unfinished programs or feel stuck despite investing in growth, this episode will give you the clarity to make your next move strategically. What You'll Learn The difference between support, tactical, performance, and transformational coaching How to assess whether a program's promise matches its structure The key questions to ask before committing to your next coaching investment   Apply for a "Hot Seat" coaching session to work through your business challenges live: MyCoachLori.com Schedule your Profitable Path Blueprint call.  If you're considering working together and want to see if it's a fit, book a Profitable Path Blueprint Call. It's a simple, no-pressure conversation to decide whether working together makes sense.  Resources: Click HERE to receive your free gift - Get Clients to Say "YES!" The Ultimate Social Proof Checklist Every Business Needs to Build Trust and Boost Sales Join Lori's private Facebook group - The Midlife Business Academy. A Facebook group for The Typewriter Generation!  A community to share business growth strategies that work for us! Join now!   Connect with Lori Follow me on social media - grab other free resources of book a call - it's all right here!

    20 min
  3. 322: The Trust Recession Is Real: How to Build Authority When Clients Question Everything

    FEB 17

    322: The Trust Recession Is Real: How to Build Authority When Clients Question Everything

    Clients are not buying slower because they are broke. They are buying slower because they are skeptical. The trust recession is not a headline. It is a behavioral shift. Prospects are asking harder questions, demanding proof, and scanning for real thinking behind polished content. Lori breaks down how AI accelerated skepticism, why blaming the economy is a dangerous excuse, and what actually builds trust now. From specificity and transparency to demonstrating your thinking in real time, this episode reframes how to become the obvious choice in a cautious market. What You'll Learn: What a trust recession actually looks like inside your sales process How to use AI as a thinking partner without eroding credibility The strategic shifts that build trust across the client journey   Apply for a "Hot Seat" coaching session to work through your business challenges live: MyCoachLori.com Schedule your Profitable Path Blueprint call.  If you're considering working together and want to see if it's a fit, book a Profitable Path Blueprint Call. It's a simple, no-pressure conversation to decide whether working together makes sense.  Resources: Click HERE to receive your free gift - Get Clients to Say "YES!" The Ultimate Social Proof Checklist Every Business Needs to Build Trust and Boost Sales Join Lori's private Facebook group - The Midlife Business Academy. A Facebook group for The Typewriter Generation!  A community to share business growth strategies that work for us! Join now!   Connect with Lori Follow me on social media - grab other free resources of book a call - it's all right here!

    21 min
  4. 321: Visibility Doesn't Convert (Authority Does)

    FEB 10

    321: Visibility Doesn't Convert (Authority Does)

    If you're showing up everywhere but the phone isn't ringing, you don't have a visibility problem - you have an authority gap. It's time to stop the random acts of content and start building a message that earns belief. What You'll learn: Why visibility without coherence creates audience skepticism. The "Freebie Seeker" trap and why I killed my 4 popular lead magnets. How to identify which stage of the business journey your client is actually in. Why authority converts better than enthusiasm every time. Ready to simplify?  Schedule your Profitable Path Blueprint call.  If you're considering working together and want to see if it's a fit, book a Profitable Path Blueprint Call. It's a simple, no-pressure conversation to decide whether working together makes sense.  Resources: Click HERE to receive your free gift - Get Clients to Say "YES!" The Ultimate Social Proof Checklist Every Business Needs to Build Trust and Boost Sales Join Lori's private Facebook group - The Midlife Business Academy. A Facebook group for The Typewriter Generation!  A community to share business growth strategies that work for us! Join now!   Connect with Lori Follow me on social media - grab other free resources of book a call - it's all right here!

    17 min

  5. FEB 3

    320: Stop Treating Your Podcast Like "Visibility" and Start Using It to Land Clients

    Downloads are a vanity metric if your podcast doesn't drive conversations with the right people. Lori coaches Tanja Horan on using her new podcast as a business development engine: a clear opening that calls out decision makers, a guest strategy built around real problems (not "spotlighting"), and SEO choices that make the show searchable. The goal is simple: build authority, attract ideal clients, and keep the content value-first without turning episodes into awkward sales pitches. What You'll Learn: How to reframe your podcast as a funnel that reduces pressure on downloads How to invite guests without attracting tire kickers who only want visibility How to tighten podcast SEO using subtitles, author fields, and metadata   Schedule your Profitable Path Blueprint call.  If you're considering working together and want to see if it's a fit, book a Profitable Path Blueprint Call. It's a simple, no-pressure conversation to decide whether working together makes sense.  Resources: Click HERE to receive your free gift - Get Clients to Say "YES!" The Ultimate Social Proof Checklist Every Business Needs to Build Trust and Boost Sales Join Lori's private Facebook group - The Midlife Business Academy. A Facebook group for The Typewriter Generation!  A community to share business growth strategies that work for us! Join now!   Connect with Lori Follow me on social media - grab other free resources of book a call - it's all right here!

    34 min
  6. 319: Why Client Retention Matters More Than Reach

    JAN 27

    319: Why Client Retention Matters More Than Reach

    If your business feels like it's working but still harder than it should, the problem may not be your marketing. It may be that your client journey is unfinished. In this final episode of the Client Journey series, Lori Lyons walks through a real client case study to show how even successful businesses quietly leak revenue, confidence, and energy when clients finish and disappear. You'll meet Deb, a highly experienced health coach earning solid income but constantly feeling like she had to start over. By breaking down each stage of Deb's client journey, from discovery through referral, Lori reveals where retention breaks down and how small, intentional shifts can stabilize revenue without adding more work. This episode is about clarity, not hustle. You'll learn why retention matters more than reach, how to design a journey that naturally leads clients forward, and how a finished client journey creates steadier growth and more freedom for midlife business owners. What You'll Learn Retention matters more than reach. A finished client journey stabilizes revenue faster than more visibility ever will. Results without context feel final. Clients continue when they understand the next phase before the current one ends. Most businesses aren't broken. They're unfinished. Fixing the journey is often simpler than adding more marketing.   Schedule your Profitable Path Blueprint call.  If you're considering working together and want to see if it's a fit, book a Profitable Path Blueprint Call. It's a simple, no-pressure conversation to decide whether working together makes sense.  Resources: Click HERE to receive your free gift - Get Clients to Say "YES!" The Ultimate Social Proof Checklist Every Business Needs to Build Trust and Boost Sales Join Lori's private Facebook group - The Midlife Business Academy. A Facebook group for The Typewriter Generation!  A community to share business growth strategies that work for us! Join now!   Connect with Lori Follow me on social media - grab other free resources of book a call - it's all right here!

    25 min
  7. 318: Why Referrals and Returning Clients Create Sustainable Business Growth

    JAN 20

    318: Why Referrals and Returning Clients Create Sustainable Business Growth

    You don't need more leads. You need a business that stops resetting itself every few months. In this episode, Lori breaks down the final two stages of the client journey, Refer and Return, where real momentum and sustainability are built. Referrals are not about luck or asking harder. They are created through clear results, a strong client experience, and giving clients the language to talk about what you do. Lori explains why even happy clients often do not refer, how testimonials support referrals, and why both are essential for shortening your sales cycle. You will also learn why most clients do not return, not because they are unhappy, but because they do not know what comes next. By intentionally seeding the next step and staying visible without selling, you can turn one-time clients into long-term relationships and predictable growth. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why referrals must be designed, not hoped for How testimonials and referrals work together to build trust faster How to create a clear next step so clients return instead of disappearing   Schedule your Profitable Path Blueprint call.  If you're considering working together and want to see if it's a fit, book a Profitable Path Blueprint Call. It's a simple, no-pressure conversation to decide whether working together makes sense.  Resources: Click HERE to receive your free gift - Get Clients to Say "YES!" The Ultimate Social Proof Checklist Every Business Needs to Build Trust and Boost Sales Join Lori's private Facebook group - The Midlife Business Academy. A Facebook group for The Typewriter Generation!  A community to share business growth strategies that work for us! Join now!   Connect with Lori Follow me on social media - grab other free resources of book a call - it's all right here!

    25 min
  8. 317: Convert and Client Experience: The Trust-Building Stages After the Sale

    JAN 13

    317: Convert and Client Experience: The Trust-Building Stages After the Sale

    Most businesses don't stall before the sale, they stall after it. In today's episode, Lori continues the Client Journey Series with two stages that determine whether trust strengthens or disappears: Convert and Experience. Convert is not about convincing someone to buy. It's about stabilizing the decision, setting clear expectations, and helping a new client feel steady enough to move forward without second-guessing. Then Lori breaks down why Experience is not what you deliver, it's how your clients feel while working with you. When communication is clear and progress is acknowledged, clients feel safe, confident, and capable. When it's not, even strong results can feel disappointing. You'll also hear how these stages shift across the four business phases (Figure It Out, Work It Out, Rock It Out, Boss It Out) so you can design a process that creates momentum, referrals, and repeat business. What You'll Learn How to turn the post-sale moment into a trust-building orientation that prevents hesitation and drop-off How to design a client experience that reduces friction and increases retention and referrals How Convert and Experience should evolve based on your current stage of business growth   Schedule your Profitable Path Blueprint call.  If you're considering working together and want to see if it's a fit, book a Profitable Path Blueprint Call. It's a simple, no-pressure conversation to decide whether working together makes sense.    Resources: Click HERE to receive your free gift - Get Clients to Say "YES!" The Ultimate Social Proof Checklist Every Business Needs to Build Trust and Boost Sales   Join Lori's private Facebook group - The Midlife Business Academy. A Facebook group for The Typewriter Generation!  A community to share business growth strategies that work for us! Join now!     Connect with Lori Follow me on social media - grab other free resources of book a call - it's all right here!

    33 min
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Trailer

5
out of 5
16 Ratings

About

You're not starting from scratch — you're starting from experience. And now it's time to build a business that actually fits your life. If you're in your 50s, 60s, or beyond and ready to grow a coaching practice, rebrand your service business, or reinvent your next chapter — the Midlife Business Academy is your go-to space for clarity, clients, and practical strategy. You're in the right place if you've ever asked: How do I grow a business that fits my life in midlife? What stage of the client journey am I missing in my marketing? How do I get more aligned, long-term clients without hustling harder? How can I simplify and streamline instead of constantly starting over? What should my website or lead magnet actually be doing for me? Am I charging for tasks or for transformation? How do I use my energy, not just effort, to attract the right clients? What does it mean to run a business that supports your SOUL? Whether you're shifting out of corporate, scaling an encore business, or turning decades of experience into a new source of income, you'll get smart coaching, marketing strategies, and a fresh lens on what it really takes to succeed in midlife. Subscribe to the Midlife Business Academy for high-impact episodes that help you grow a sustainable, profitable business — one that feels deeply aligned with who you are today. Lori Lyons is a business strategist,digital marketing coach and website agency owner who helps entrepreneurs over 50 build profitable businesses that support the life they want now — not the other way around. Resources: Click HERE to receive your free gift – Get Clients to Say "YES!" The Ultimate Social Proof Checklist Every Business Needs to Build Trust and Boost Sales Link - https://ignitingyourbusiness.com/socialproof Join Lori's private Facebook group – The Midlife Business Academy. A Facebook group for The Typewriter Generation! A community to share business growth strategies that work for us! Join now! (Link - https://www.facebook.com/groups/2401957983398808) Connect with Lori (Link - https://lorilyons.me/contact/) Follow me on social media - grab other free resources of book a call - it's all right here!

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