How Margaret Turned Her Fear of Sales into $47,200 in Business Growth
When most entrepreneurs dream of starting their own business, they imagine designing the perfect website, creating a beautiful brand, or delivering outstanding work to happy clients. What they don’t picture? Picking up the phone to make a sales call.
And yet — sales is the heartbeat of every business. Without it, even the most talented entrepreneurs can find themselves frustrated. That’s exactly where Margaret Chen, a 54-year-old interior designer, found herself — until she discovered the power of committing to sales.
The Sales Struggle
Margaret had built an incredible career as a corporate interior designer. At 52, she took a brave step: launching her own residential design business. Two years in, her reality looked very different from her dreams. For three consecutive months, her revenue was zero.
When we dug deeper, it became clear: Margaret wasn’t selling. She had a database of 47 past clients and friends who had expressed interest, but she couldn’t bring herself to call them.
“I absolutely hate that part of the business,” she admitted. “It feels so pushy and salesy. I want my business to succeed, but every time I think about picking up the phone, I find something else to do.”
Like many business owners, Margaret busied herself with safe tasks but avoided the lifeblood of her business: sales conversations.
The Turning Point: A Sales Commitment
Margaret realized her business wouldn’t survive unless she faced her sales fear. She made a simple but powerful commitment:
- Build a contact list – 30 names, divided into warm (past clients), lukewarm (acquaintances), and cold prospects.
- Two calls a day, every day – non-negotiable, like a doctor’s appointment.
- Dedicated call hour – 10 AM to 11 AM, with conversation scripts ready.
- Track everything – every call logged in a spreadsheet.
The Results of Sales in Action
That simple sales routine transformed her business:
- In the first month, 40 calls led to 25 real conversations, 8 strong leads, 4 consultations, and 2 contracts worth $18,500.
- By month three, her sales efforts had generated $47,200 in new business – a 400% increase.
- Her calendar was filled six months in advance.
- She confidently raised her rates by 25%.
More than the money, Margaret discovered something deeper: that sales wasn’t about being pushy. It was about connection, consistency, and showing up for her dream — even when it was uncomfortable.“My commitment to making those calls, even when I dreaded them, saved my business,” Margaret reflects.
Your Takeaway
Margaret’s story shows that sales isn’t just a part of business — it is the business. You can have the best website, the prettiest brand, the smartest ideas, but if you aren’t consistently selling, growth won’t come.
The good news? Sales doesn’t have to feel scary. Start small. Make one commitment. Two calls a day. One follow-up email. One proposal sent. Over time, those small, consistent sales actions build momentum that can transform your business.
And if sales feels overwhelming or uncomfortable for you too, you don’t have to figure it out alone. These are exactly the kinds of challenges we work through during Coffee Talk with Shelly — a safe space for women 50+ to get clear, get confident, and get moving.
Ready to shift your sales story? Join us this Thursday at 11 AM ET on Zoom.
Send us an email, and we’ll share the Zoom link with you.
Shelly Berman
Business Development and Communication Strategist
shelly@smallbusresults.com
