Julie Covert wants to scale her writing coaching business, but her hands-on approach and travel lifestyle make traditional group programs tough to pull off.
Julie turns aspiring writers into excited authors through her Success Signals for Writers system. She helps clients reignite their writing spark, refill their inner ink pot, and avoid common writing pitfalls. Julie came to this call ready to rethink how her 1:1 editorial work could scale, especially with her upcoming plans to travel with her husband on their schooner, where Zoom meetings and set schedules aren’t always an option.
Julie's biggest challenge is clear: how to keep offering deep, individualized support without getting locked into constant calls or overextending herself. By the end of our conversation, she walked away with an entirely new model—anchored around asynchronous tools and thoughtful process design so she can serve more writers without sacrificing quality (or missing out on her adventure). Julie also discovered how she could introduce group elements in a way that fits her schedule, using voice apps and carefully planned office hours.
Let me highlight the practical pivots Julie and I mapped out in this conversation.
Check out the section where we map out a support system for writers using Voxer and calendar automation. There’s a reason Julie is so relieved, and it isn’t just about the tech.
Key Takeaways
Automate Accountability With Calendars: Setting up automated email reminders and mapped-out milestones ensures clients keep writing, even when live calls aren’t realistic. Scheduled check-ins can replicate the accountability of regular meetings.
Leverage Asynchronous Communication Tools: Using apps like Voxer for walkie-talkie style voice communication gives clients real-time feedback without requiring both parties to be online at the same time. This keeps the editorial process moving even with unpredictable schedules.
Test Group Support With Pop-Up Office Hours: Hosting occasional bonus office hours (rather than strict recurring sessions) brings some group connection and peer interaction without locking yourself into a rigid calendar.
Bundle Your Signature System as Trainings: Packaging frameworks like the Success Signals for Writers system as pre-recorded trainings makes it easier to support multiple clients at once—and creates new possibilities for group programs later.
Start Small to Build Confidence: Trying out these changes with a couple of private clients first can help you work out the kinks and adjust your onboarding before rolling new systems out to everyone.
Timestamps & Key Topics
[00:00] Julie describes her current 1:1 coaching and editing service structure
[03:58] Dallas clarifies each phase of Julie’s offer and gets specifics on the workflow
[09:00] Julie admits how much time a thorough manuscript edit requires
[10:26] The travel challenge: Julie’s need for a flexible, asynchronous business
[12:00] Dallas outlines three possible ways to scale: systems, team, clients
[15:11] Discussion on meeting cadence, accountability, and the emotional support of live coaching
[18:13] Julie explains her “Success Signals for Writers” framework and how it supports different writing styles
[19:40] Brainstorming an automated accountability loop with shared calendars and pre-scheduled communication
[23:35] Introducing Voxer as an asynchronous voice communication tool for coaching
[27:17] Dallas recommends tech tools (Voxer plug-ins and dictation apps) to streamline client support
[28:25] Why the “pop-up” office hours model fits for coaches who travel or need greater flexibility
[31:43] Brainstorming group coaching with asynchronous communication and peer support
[39:04] Dallas and Julie explore running group pods and group Voxer chats as a scalable model
[42:48] Wrapping up with Julie’s next steps
CONNECT WITH JULIE COVERT:
INSTAGRAM: <a href="http://instagram.com/juliemcovert/">@juliemcovert</a>
