EXPAND: the 2025 Live Cohort
Set your business up for lasting Sustainable Success.
With my comprehensive business training program, EXPAND.
Applications are now closed for the Feb '25 cohort.
Many programs and leaders in the online business space teach you how to maximize revenue quickly, with little-to-no thought about the lasting impact these short-term methods have on you, your community, and your business's longevity. But over your time in business, you’ve realized that striving for this “speedy success” requires chasing short-term wins that lead to long-term burnout and disconnection from your core values. You’re done with that.
Now, you’re looking to build a sustainable business that grows in alignment with your values and priorities, creating true, lasting thriving personally, professionally, and communally.
EXPAND equips you with the self-trust and CEO skillset that’s needed to grow with intention and purpose by systematically setting your business up for long-lasting Sustainable Success.
You’ve chased the ‘secrets’ to online business success. Now it’s time to forge your own path for sustainable growth.
We all know how it goes. You start your business bright eyed and bushy tailed, ready to free yourself from the constraints of traditional employment. But soon, you realize that building a business successfully demands an entirely different set of skills which go beyond your core expertise. Determined to succeed, you learn from courses, coaches, and experts, piecing together advice and strategies to make things “work.” And it has—to a point.
Over time, however, your business starts to feel like a patchwork of other people’s strategies; duct-taped together, but lacking the clarity and cohesion that comes with truly forging your own path. You’re left tweaking, trying, and contorting your business to fit methods that aren’t fully yours. And with each step toward the business you’re “supposed” to be building, you lose touch with the one you actually desire to run.
Until one day you wake up to the reality that while this approach got you here, here isn’t exactly where you want to be. You’re now asking the deeper questions, like: Who do I need to become, and what do I need to do, to create a business that sustains and fulfills me, while allowing me to thrive in the life that I intend to be working toward?
That's where EXPAND comes in.
Over these nine months, you’ll build the structure, systems, and self-trust to lead your business with clarity and purpose—without relying on anyone else’s approach. Instead, you’ll expand your business-building acumen to confidently create and successfully execute your own blueprint, tailored to your unique goals and vision.
“I’m really pleasantly surprised by how much the results of EXPAND have made me happier with my personal life, because of how I’m operating my business.
I joined EXPAND right after booking several high-ticket projects that I really didn’t want to do, but that were what seemed like the ‘right’ way to structure my business and offers. I was also using marketing messages which felt icky and overpromising, because that’s what someone else told me I was supposed to do to get clients. Alongside all of that, I was making sales, but I didn’t like what I had to do to get them.
After EXPAND, I’m now being really intentional with everything in my business. I’m more ‘ok’ with people not being the right fit because now I understand their journey. I continue to reuse and refine my messaging, which is big for me since I usually do something and then immediately scrap it. I’m in my own groove with marketing, and sales just feel easier…it’s like I’m only talking to people if they are ready to work with me and that makes it much easier to get on calls.
The hardest part of the program surprised me: it was reworking a lot of my beliefs about being in business. I was really battling this idea of ‘success’ and I was making it what someone else would want, when deep down I knew what I wanted…but it felt like it wasn’t good enough.
I’m now a happier person/mom/business owner because of this process. I don’t think about business 24/7. I don’t stress out over little things as much (even getting client feedback is easier). I actually saw someone the other day post about her business and how she is thinking about it 24/7. I used to really admire her, and when I read that, I thought wow - I feel sad for her.
Overall, I feel really proud of myself. I know that I have values that are really important to me, and that I have what it takes to make my business align/support those values.”
- Website Designer in the US
With EXPAND, you’ll:
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Find your unique path to reach your goals, remaining aligned with your values, priorities, and needs, while confidently tuning out of external pressures and one-size-fits-all strategies.
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Become adept at strategizing, implementing, and refining your approach, allowing you to see a more reliable ROI on your efforts with increasing simplicity.
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Make operating your business day-to-day pleasantly predictable—drastically reducing frenzied decision-making and scattered strategies—thanks to a thoughtfully designed system that brings every part of your business into harmony.
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Turn your business into one that sustains you financially and fulfills you personally, empowering you to create a life outside of work that is necessary to both your and your business' long-term thriving.
“I’m not just a coach. I’m someone who knows how to run a business.”
“I went into EXPAND because after 4 years in business, I finally believed wholeheartedly in the work I was doing. But because I had pushed myself to do work that I was pretty good at but didn’t feel like shouting from the rooftops about, I had built beliefs and habits that made it hard to show up and show off. I built so much muscle in EXPAND just experimenting with different things and being ok with the outcomes, never losing sight of the fact that I love what I do and that the more I build the muscle, the easier it will get. [Finishing EXPAND] feels like a really big turning point in my business, and I’m just so proud of myself for where I am compared to where I started with this program.
I loved [the format] of EXPAND. I don’t have the greatest history with self-led courses but the way it was organized made so much sense, I SO appreciated the transcripts, and the challenges really helped give it a sense of ‘let’s do this’ instead of just think about it. I loved seeing my progress throughout the course, that was really motivating. And the feedback that was given for the challenges - SO valuable!!!! Every time I got feedback, it was a really good mix of constructive, but also ‘you’re not a total bonehead.’ It was very reassuring, but you were clear to point out things where you saw opportunity. It made your feedback really trustworthy. Thank you also for being so thoughtful [in the module check-in video coaching] and helping us prepare ahead of time for resistance and helping me feel like I’m taking productive baby steps toward a new reality.
EXPAND feels like the biggest thing I’ve accomplished since I was in college. And it was all me. If you’re someone who’s got all the qualities and drive of an entrepreneur/small business owner but who hasn’t found the way to a sustainable business yet, I’d recommend EXPAND. There’s something that you probably missed at some point on your business journey. Something that you’re like, ‘Well if I would have had that knowledge or support, I would have been much further by now.’ Not only is the material in EXPAND illuminating, but it’s a very good mix of working things out on your own while feeling very supported and having feedback that you can trust.
I have evidence now that I can do things that some part of me has said is too hard or too confusing. I can move through hard things and I can figure things out that are confusing. I’m confident that I’m not just a coach, I’m someone who understands how to run a business. ”
- Michelle Crowder-Soellner, Coach
“EXPAND has been nothing short of transformational for both myself personally and my business. I now don’t just appear confident, I AM confident.
I can’t wait to go through it all again, this time diving a layer or more deeper now that I have such a solid base to start with. I’ve not seen a program quite like this, and I really appreciated it. I no longer feel like I’m throwing spaghetti at the wall.
To be able to build such a solid foundation felt like a bit of a pipe dream when I started. But I absolutely did and in a way that was very thoughtful and never rushed. I will carry this with me the rest of my life, no matter when life gets shitty because life does get shitty sometimes. I don’t have any question that this is who I am now, a business owner and leader who trusts herself. I have truly embodied it.”
- Jen Vertanen, Mentor and Coach
"I absolutely built a solid foundation."
“I started my business 6 months prior to working with Carly and was looking to create consistent 5 figure months. The WholeCo methodology and Sustainable Success really resonated with me and Big-hearted Entrepreneurs represented the most safe and holistic community. Working with Carly was phenomenal.
She helped me create some solid foundations for my business and achieve a 5x ROI on my investment in the program, double my earnings from the year before, and have three $10k sales months.
Now I have the ability to build a business that aligns with my life, as well as a better understanding of what foundations need to be in place to grow a sustainable business. If you’re thinking about working with Carly, do it. At the very least, you will leave centered in who you are, what you want from your business and how you want to do it along with the financial success that comes with doing the work.”
- Celeste Lawson, Relocation Strategist
Lay the Foundation for Long-Term Growth and Professional Fulfillment
You’ll complete the program having established a plan for recurring results and compounding growth, giving you the flexibility and stability you need to sustain your business at each stage of your journey.
Having nine months together to complete all of the above gives you the time, guidance, and community support to implement, refine, and integrate these pillars. At every step, you’ll watch your efforts evolve into lasting results that grow with you.
This live cohort begins on February 5, 2025 and clients are accepted by application only. Submit your application today to join us.
"When I joined EXPAND, I found it to be a warm, safe and creative space while also being very well structured.
It’s a group program but it still offers individual feedback that is in depth, and you never feel like a number. Carly goes above and beyond and I absolutely loved working with her.
This program is absolutely worth every cent. I think it’s even a bargain!"
Patricia Petralba,
Integrative Women’s Health M.D., Wellness and Life Coach
Plus these juicy bonuses!
Master the nine core messaging foundations for any offer, free or paid, ensuring your communication always resonates with your Right Fit clients.
Guest expert trainings are scheduled based on the cohort's needs, and topics may be adjusted or added as relevant opportunities arise.
There’s never a ‘right time’ to stop prioritizing short-term wins and start laying the groundwork for sustainable growth.
The allure of quick money, rapid results, and neverending momentum is real. But if you’re caught in a cycle of scrambling for the next sale or constantly shifting strategies to chase trends and “shoulds,” it’s time to ask: is this really working for me?
Others teach you their business growth strategy.
EXPAND equips you to design and implement your own—effectively.
EXPAND: the live cohort runs from February-October 2025. Here’s a closer look at your learning journey and the type of outcomes you can expect:
Shore up your niche, pinpoint your business model, and map out your financial goals. This clarity helps you create an aligned roadmap to achieve both your business and lifestyle objectives, minimizing distractions from shiny objects and keeping you focused on what truly matters every day, month, and year.
You’ll also…
- Craft a Niche Statement that speaks directly to the problem you solve, not just the people you serve.
- Discover the hidden connections between your business model and daily decision-making.
- Define what “success” really looks and feels like for you—and let go of everyone else’s definition.
- Set clear lifestyle goals that honor your values and the stage of life you’re in—whether that’s more time for your kids, your hobbies, or just more downtime.
- Identify your true financial needs by understanding the difference between revenue, take-home pay, cash flow, and profit.
- Choose your ideal spot on the business model spectrum to align your work with your strengths and long-term vision.
- Prepare for inevitable setbacks by creating a mindset and plan that prioritizes sustainability over quick wins.
- Shift from short-term gains to long-term strategies by exploring your true motivations for change.
- Map out revenue and percentage allocations to ensure your business aligns with both your financial goals and your values.
“I was looking for support/coaching and a container throughout several months that would help me get my messaging streamlined and ready to be marketed, as well as learn about authentic sales. Throughout my experience in EXPAND, I was consistently impressed by the depth and quality of the training library.
It's clear just how much dedication, work, detail and care was put into creating this offering. It's also clear that Carly does what she possibly can to make her clients succeed by training with her. I loved the group coaching sessions and the personal element that added, as well as the accountability.
I also had several moments when I felt that there was a structure Carly works with, but she holds it lightly and with flexibility, depending on what she believes she can offer each client. It's the perfect combination of standardized group work and personal coaching. I’m now confident in sales calls, I know how to do market research properly and I am getting ever close to finding the language for my ideal clients, which previously had felt like a very challenging task.
Perhaps most importantly, I now have confidence and trust in my ability to create exactly the kind of business I want, while being able to work with some tried and true tools. The marketing, offer building, messaging and sales resources inside of EXPAND are some of the best and most approachable I've come across. If you choose one course/investment to make in this space, check out Carly's work.”
- Katharina Norden, Life&Leadership coach, activist, equity entrepreneur
By the time you finish EXPAND, you’ll be set up for long-lasting Sustainable Success in every sense of the word.
Most importantly, you’ll leave with a business where you get paid to do work you love, in the way you love doing it, with people who appreciate the value you bring.
These are the hallmarks of true Sustainable Success.
“I was always building on shaky ground before, and now I have a greater feeling of stability and faith in what lies ahead for my business. I have such a deep and long-lasting relationship with my business (over 20 years on and off), and now more than ever, it needs to serve and support me.
I love what I learned, and how I can use it for new offers and tactics again and again. There is so much in EXPAND and I will return again and again to benefit from the many layers and nuances it offers. The way it takes you on a path where you just need to trust the process and take a step at a time was so helpful in keeping overwhelm at bay. It makes so much sense that you can’t do your offers until you do audience, marketing until you do messaging. It felt like you were offering a path in a maze; you’ve taken a pen and drawn the path saying, ‘This is how you go through this.’
The monthly support and video feedback were probably what kept me going, as it reinforced everything, was motivating, clarifying and rewarding. I also loved having the trainings and workbook to guide me, and the Facebook group felt so nurturing.
Seeing everything come together at the end gave me a sense of pride at what I’d accomplished and gave me a sense of ‘I’ve got this.’ I’m both a therapist/coach and leader of myself and others, and I am no longer prepared to hide away and let people find me. I can now see how my business can become a well-oiled machine with a huge beating heart, and I’m grateful I took the opportunity [to join EXPAND].”
- Therapeutic Coach in the UK
Want to go more in depth? Check out these client case studies.
Business-building acumen + deeply embodied self-trust = a recipe for lasting Sustainable Success
We get started February 2025.
Your investment:
$4,300 — Payable over 10 installments ($430/mo) or in full.
Pay in full clients will also receive one month of 1:1 Voxer Coaching ($2,500 value) — more details below.
Pay in Full Bonus
Ready to pay in full?
You’ll receive an exclusive bonus: one full month of 1:1 Voxer Coaching with me during June 2025 (a $2,500 value).
June is a pivotal month in EXPAND, as it’s when you’ll be implementing your newly designed Demand Generation System for the first time. This is your opportunity to trial the strategies you've spent the last couple of months in the program preparing, learn from the process, and make the necessary adjustments to ensure it’s set up for long-term success.
While every EXPAND client will receive access to two Voxer Office Hours days with me during this critical phase of the program, paying in full unlocks an even higher level of personalized support. With this bonus, you’ll have me in your pocket for one-on-one coaching and consulting support every Monday through Thursday throughout the entire month of June.
Using Voxer—a walkie-talkie-style app—you can reach out anytime for strategy guidance, answers to pressing questions, and tailored feedback as you implement your system. I guarantee a 48-hour response time, so you’ll always have the clarity and confidence to keep moving forward—especially when you hit the inevitable mid-month lull and need support to recalibrate and refocus.
This bonus is only available when you pay in full.
“I thought I was working with Carly to learn how to get sales, but it was so much more than that. Right before meeting her I had a call with another coach who tried to pressure me into a 5k investment on the call. Then I did a free event with another coach who wanted me to work with her, but I didn’t really like her formulaic approach to getting results. I liked Carly because A.) I binged all of her free content and found it SO USEFUL, B.) She gave me space to ask questions through the sales call and after, and C.) Her messaging and talking to her aligned with my values of how I would want to do things in my business.
Working with Carly was intense in a good way, because as much as she provided amazing value with selling, positioning and content creation, I needed the most help with mindset. She was an invaluable asset in helping me get to where I needed to be in order to get the results I desire. I did get my first 10k month, as well as learnt how to create foundations and stability/sustainability in my business. And now I know how to build a sustainable business model that I can take with me no matter which direction I go in.
There were so many internal results, too. I learned that I had a lot of insecurities around showing up in my true self and that I had actually lost myself trying to ‘grasp’ for results. I learned how to balance trust/strategy in order to build up the RIGHT momentum for me. I learned to establish boundaries both with myself and with my clients and I learnt how a lack of boundaries affects me. Work with Carly. Depending on where you are in business, she will help determine the right fit starting point for you. And you can trust her on that.
- Hannah Pillow, Podcast Production Agency Owner
hey!
I'm Carly Jo Bell.
(Though you can just call me Carly.)
Sustainable Success Mentor and Business Consultant for online service providers, coaches, course creators, and other practitioners.
As an autistic founder with a special interest in the inner workings of humanity, I’m constantly breaking things down to their core components and first principles to understand what truly makes service-based businesses succeed. Whether it’s marketing or systematizing transformation, my genius lies in taking these findings and turning them into actionable learnings that empower founders like you. I equip you to design and execute your own sustainable strategies and approaches, ensuring you achieve the outcomes and goals you desire to.
This foundation-focused, self-trust-led approach to business-building meets at the intersection of “great marketing” and “phenomenal client delivery.” It’s ultimately about cultivating authentic credibility in your industry—the kind that compounds naturally, positioning you as the go-to authority in your niche, without resorting to gimmicky or manipulative tactics. It’s also centered around ensuring mutual fit between your clients and your work, because this alignment is key to reliably delivering what you promise and everyone enjoying the process along the way.
I used to say that the intention behind my work was to make running and building your business more sustainable. While that’s still true, after six years in business serving over 6,000 individual business owners through my courses, programs, and coaching—and seeing firsthand the systemic issues in our industry that inevitably lead to burnout, breakdown, or the need to “burn everything down”—I’m no longer just focused on making things sustainable for you.
I’m here to lead the charge in rewriting the very standards this online world operates on, starting with you.
Rather than relying on money-making strategies that ultimately perpetuate burnout for both business owners and their clients, I’m dedicated to helping businesses implement sustainable, ethical strategies that create lasting results for everyone involved—without sacrificing well-being.
Through my own journey of trial, error, and eventual breakthrough, I’ve learned that the way to achieve this is by starting with you—your goals, your priorities, and your values—rather than “what you think will sell.” From there, we get granular clarity on who is best positioned to succeed in the work you do, and we build everything to exclusively attract that person, while preemptively filtering out anyone else.
It’s only through this alignment between the work you want to do and the people who will benefit most from it that we can create systems of reliable, powerful transformation—and do so in a way that’s sustainable and enjoyable for you.
By starting from your true priorities and aligning your business with the people you’re meant to serve...
...we can build a business model that isn’t just financially successful—but sustainable, ethical, and aligned with who you are.
If you're ready to make that shift and lead the charge toward a healthier, more fulfilling way of growing your business, I’d love to be your guide along that journey. And the best place to receive my in-depth, personalized support is right here, inside EXPAND: the 2025 live cohort.
"What I really love about working with Carly is it’s all holistic. With the coach I worked with before, it was all blank, naked strategy that just kept piling up work for me."
"I have big dreams that cost a lot of money, and so I know I want to make millions. Before working with Carly, I had hired a social media coach who told me I needed to post 3x a day and 'bark' at my audience to get them to buy. Plus, I was creating content in two languages which meant that I had to make 6 pieces per day; that was exhausting. At the time, I was also using pain points in my marketing, and had followed the advice of another coach who told me to only sell one thing (which was crushing for me!).
Working with Carly gave me the permission to use a positive outcome to paint the picture, which felt like a fresh breeze, and to also start selling smaller things which felt easy to sell instead of putting so much pressure on Joy Academy. All of this changed my momentum and freed up my energy. I even allowed myself to do packages that weren't scalable but were fun for me, and from that I had a $10k cash month and then a ₣19k cash month, which helped me get into the 'leaned back' energy. Later, I tripled my price points and brought 12 new clients into Joy Academy.
I think another piece of the puzzle that helped me was when I finally understood, not only in my head but in my heart, that selling is serving. Early in my business, a lot of it felt like that whole 'spaghetti at the wall' thing. It just felt like I was throwing everything at the wall. But now I know what I'm doing. I have the things in place. Everything is getting built exactly how it needs to be built. This is going to support me in the long run of my business.
What I really love about working with Carly is it’s all holistic. With the coach I worked with before, it was all blank, naked strategy that just kept piling up work for me. Now my business is like a network of connected things, and if you pull here, it moves everywhere. It’s beautiful. These foundations that we’re working on are magical, practical, crystal clear, and colorful. Now, I don't have to only sell one thing, I can be my creative self who has lots of ideas. There are a lot of coaches who are like, 'I can help you make your millions,' but Carly is real. I highly recommend EXPAND.”
- Ronja Sakata, Joy Coach
You might be wondering…
The biggest difference is that EXPAND focuses first and foremost on first principles—the core truths and foundational concepts that all great CEOs understand. While most programs in the online space teach specific strategies—which subsequently may or may not work for your unique business model, audience, and goals—EXPAND helps you understand why those strategies will or won’t work for you. And then equips you to design your own custom strategies tailored to your unique strengths, business model, and goals. All of this together empowers you to create and maintain real, lasting Sustainable Success.
"Throughout my time in EXPAND I felt loved, cared for, and seen. I finally landed on the work I’m meant to be doing with your help."
“I couldn’t figure out what in the world I was meant to be doing or how I was meant to be doing it, or how I could make money doing it — I had all the pieces of the things, but couldn’t commit to any one thing.
I knew I had the capacity to make money as an entrepreneur, and so I decided to work with you. Your story and content resonated with me so deeply, and you gave away so much value for free that I could only imagine how magic it would be to work with you.
Throughout my time in EXPAND I felt loved, cared for, and seen. I finally landed on the work I’m meant to be doing with your help. And, I even know how to verbalize what I do using a Quick Pitch — this is something I will use for the rest of my life! Beyond that, I truly internalized what it means to look external for ideas but internal for answers, and I learned to listen to my internal compass.
Carly is both an absolute wealth of knowledge and an absolute wealth of love. Her ability to truly see you, coach you, and guide you are unmatched.”
- Rebecca Anthony, Creative Strategist
"Even though I’ve been in business for 30 years, I am a different business owner now from when I started EXPAND."
"By going through EXPAND, I’ve been able to think through what I want to do and who I want to do it with. This process filled in gaps in my learning and thought processes. These days, I’m loving the clients I’m working with, I’m loving the work I’m doing, I know that I’m bringing high value to my clients. I’m just feeling really good.
Before working with you, I had a lot of confidence, but not specifically around ‘why someone would pay me this much money to do this work.’
Now I have a system in place to make sure that I’m properly pricing my services, which has given me more mental space because I know that I’m financially supported. Even though I’ve been in business for 30 years, I am a different business owner now from when I started EXPAND.”
- Pam Bowman, Bookkeeper
Ready to step into your CEO role and build a business that lasts?
EXPAND isn’t just another “make more money in your business” program (though, yes, let’s do that too!). It’s a comprehensive business training program and transformational experience that empowers you to confidently step into the driver’s seat of your business—taking control of your decisions, your strategy, and your long-term success.
By the end of this program, you won’t just have the skills to keep growing your business—you’ll have the mindset, self-trust, and foundations to create lasting Sustainable Success. Whether you're struggling with inconsistency, battling burnout, or feeling like you’re always playing defense, EXPAND will equip you with the tools to step into your potential, leading strategically and in alignment as the CEO of your business.
At some point, you have to stop building for the next short-term win and start setting yourself up for long-lasting Sustainable Success. The longer you wait to make this shift, the more time and energy you’ll spend maintaining results, let alone growing them. In the process, you’ll be leaving opportunities on the table that, with the right foundations and systems in place, could be leveraged for even further growth and freedom—without the constant hustle.