I got the chance to talk to a kindred spirit recently, best-selling author and “bounce back” expert, Sonia Ricotti. She is a shining example of someone that has achieved an incredible level of success online and enjoying the financial and time freedom that that lifestyle allows.

Turns out, we have a lot of things in common.  In fact the only difference seemed to be that only one of us had eaten an elephant.  Wait, what?  You’ll have to read the interview to find out.

You can read highlights from my interview with Sonia here (or, if you prefer to WATCH the interview, click the link at the bottom of this article.)

Sabrina: Can you tell our community what motivated you to get online and have the success that you’ve had?

Sonia: Well, you know what?  Several years ago, I really wanted to start my own business. I just thought, “Imagine having your own business and the freedom that comes along with all that.” Because I spent many, many years working in corporate America – doing the 9 to 5 job… that kind of stuff…

Sabrina:  Which becomes 9 to 6, 9 to 7…

Sonia: Oh, I worked so many hours.  I just thought once I had my own business that I would gain that freedom and the financial freedom I was looking for.  And the more I learned about online marketing, and getting my business online, and then making that first dollar, and then the first hundred, and then the first thousand, ten-thousand, it’s just.. I was hooked. Because the freedom that comes along with having your business online… you can be anywhere around the world.   Or, you can just stay at home. Which is what I do.

[laughing] Except right now when I go to MasterMinds – but seriously, I love staying at home – I’m a home-body. And to be able to be at home and run my business, and …

Sabrina: …And be with your dogs…

Sonia: [laughing] Yeah, I have a dog… we’re dog-lovers…

Sabrina: We both love sitting on the couch working with our dogs.

Sonia: Yeah. So there’s that freedom. Of knowing that I don’t have to get up and face traffic. And have a boss…

Sabrina: Put on makeup…

Sonia: Yes, yes, true… unless you’re on camera – a lot of makeup now. But yeah, anyone that’s been following my work, I’m a huge advocate for online marketing. That’s why I was so happy when you asked me to come here because it really is a huge opportunity to really experience that freedom lifestyle of having that online business – where all you need is a computer and internet.

Sabrina: And you took some adversity in your life and bounced back from it and, from something that wasn’t seen as a positive situation, you’ve been able to create programs and courses and build you business around that – so extending that to others.

Sonia: Right. And what I did was I started off slowly.  So, it took a little bit of time to develop it to where it’s at now. But I actually was $124K in debt at one point – like, I lost everything. I had hit rock-bottom. And truly what got me out of debt and into multiple seven figures was online marketing.  It was really being able to master that skill and getting my message out to the world in a really big way. Making a difference and making a lucrative living at the same time.

Most people… look I talk about online marketing all the time and I sometimes have shown close friends and family how to do it… and I’m showing them how much money I made and what the possibilities are… And they’re very impressed. But I think that deep in the back of their mind they don’t actually believe that that’s possible. When I’m a walking proof and example of that possibility of being able to achieve great financial abundance. So the thing is — it IS possible.  I never knew that this was possible, way back when… If anyone told me ten years ago that I’d be working from home and running a lucrative business I wouldn’t have believed it.  I didn’t even know that that was – you don’t know what you don’t know.

Sabrina: Me too.  Especially the word, “online.”  That word to me was scary. Because I wasn’t raised with computers, I don’t know how to type…

Sonia:  Yeah, I’m not technical either.  Trust me. I’m not technical either. [ laughing]

Sabrina: How would you define it if someone asked you, “What is your interpretation of being an abundant entrepreneur?”

Sonia: You know, there’s so many ways of defining that. To me personally, an abundant entrepreneur is also mindset. And so, it’s really being in a space of having that mindset of being a millionaire. Of being successful. Of achieving financial freedom. One of the things I always talk about is, “You don’t manifest what you want. You manifest what you believe.” And so, and abundant entrepreneur is someone who thinks like a successful person thinks.  And you do exactly what successful people do  and you’ll be successful. Exactly.  That word exactly is really important.  Not “sort of” – Not “a little like” – because you’ll get ‘sort of‘ results and ‘a little like‘ results. So, it’s do exactly what successful people do and you’ll be successful.

Sabrina: So that would be the one tip you’d give a newbie, is to follow in the footsteps of someone…

Sabrina: I know that we, in our business, spent a lot of time doing things that probably weren’t necessary. And then once we were getting the right training, and the right skills, we found out, “Oh, it’s much more simple than I thought!” If I could make the road more narrow and just like you said, “Do the steps that need to be done, in the order that they need to be done.” Whatever speed you want to do them. To create an additional revenue stream. Or an empire.

Sonia: Yeah. And you also have to realize that if you’re looking at people who are super successful, who have been doing it a long time… you might look at myself or other people and say, “Wow. That’s very overwhelming. I wouldn’t even know where to begin.” Where you begin is at the beginning. It’s like, “How do you eat an elephant?”  One bite at a time.

Sabrina: Oh, I would never eat an elephant. [laughing]

Sonia: [laughing] I have. I’ve taken a lot of bites to get to where I am. Little by little. Step by step by step. A lot of my friends say, “I don’t know how I could do what you’re doing.” Well, I didn’t wake up one day and was here…  I took it step by step by step. You know? I started making a little money. More money. More money. More money. And as you learn more and more, it builds, builds, builds, builds – and then that’s when it kind of explodes.

Sabrina: Well, any last words of wisdom you’d like to share?

Sonia: I know a lot of you have this dream. You’re all at different levels of this journey… and wherever you are, just keep on moving forward. Because as long as you continue moving forward – even if you try something and it doesn’t work exactly the way you want it to… just LEARN from the experience. It’s like I always say, “When you fall down, get back up, dust yourself off, learn the lessons, adjust your path and move forward.” And each time you fall, you get back up, dust yourself off, learn the lessons, adjust your path and move forward. And you WILL achieve great success. It’s when you quit, or go backwards that success eludes you. You need to continue moving forward. And now with all the great tools that we have in this industry and online marketing out there that you can learn from… you can learn it very quickly.

Sabrina: Absolutely.  Thank you so much for coming and spending this time with me… and sharing with the Abundant Entrepreneur community your wisdom and your tips… I really appreciate it.

Sonia: It’s my pleasure. Thank you so much for having me.

Sabrina: You have been a big example for so many of us – watching your business grow and explode. So, until next time…

There are moments in life that draw your attention and say, “Hey, you can do this!  I am walking, talking proof that you can do this if this is what you want.”

For myself, I want to make sure I recognize those moments.  Rather than letting an opportunity pass me by, I want to grab on with both hands and say, “Let’s Do This!”

And it doesn’t matter how many other people are doing it.  There is no one that is like you, that will do it in the same way as you, that is seeing through the same eyes as you.  You are unique and what you have to offer, only you can offer.

Just try.  And if you fall down- no, WHEN you fall down — remember what Sonia said, “Get back up, dust yourself off, learn the lessons, adjust your path and move forward.”

Want to WATCH the interview instead of reading? Click Here.

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