There are two "radio stations" in your head available for you at anytime. You can tune in and hear the wise, calm, thoughtful voice of your "inner mentor" or you can listen to the freaked out uncertainty, self-doubt, and judgement of your "inner critic." They're both on all the time, but chances are, you have the volume turned waaaaay up on your inner critic station...and it's just no good for you.
I'm quite sure that every business owner has a notion at some point that they'll just put together a website, line up their offerings, open the doors for business, and they'll be off to the races! Of course the "build it and they will come" mentality is lovely, but there are a LOT of steps that have to happen in between to "build it." Namely, building your audience!
I love, love, love supporting small businesses whenever I can. In the age of instant Amazon deliveries it's tempting to just do the quick-and-easy, one-stop shop for all of your holiday shopping, but I can't help but think that buying from small businesses is just better karma. So I put together a list of some of my favorite gifts from top-notch entrepreneurs and artists.
Writing copy for your website? Here are the two common mistakes I see service providers make all the time:
Watch for some quick tips:
It's almost the end of the year and you're scratching your head about where the time went and how come you didn't get as far as you wanted in your business.
You're feeling like you put in a LOT of thought and time and energy into your business, but you're not seeing the results you want. And it's so. dang. frustrating.
Here are the 4 reasons people don't hit their business goals, especially in the early stage of the game.
You have big plans for getting everything done during the day, but before you know it, it's 3 o'clock and you've barely scratched your to-do list...and you forgot to eat lunch! It's hard to get it all done during the week, but starting with a plan is a great way to get a sense of what need to happen AND a good way to reflect on how long things are actually taking. Here's the planning tool that I use to try to ensure that everything gets done without feeling totally overwhelming:
T Bird Leather is a dream come true for Whitefish, Montana artist Tress Wambeke. Seamstress turned leathersmith, Tress fell in love with leather for its timeless style, durability and beauty. And, because of her gorgeous aesthetic and thoughtful craftsmanship, every woman I know falls madly in love with Tress's work. It's obvious that each piece is made with care and is built to last for ages. Tress shares a bit of her business journey and upcoming goals below:
"I need help! I have to make this business work...it just has to work. I'm so committed to making it happen, but right now I'm stuck...but I need help!"
And then this is inevitably followed up with the reasons why the can't make it happen and how X, Y, and Z are not in their budget.
Your mind is going a million miles an hour. Your to-do list grows by the minute. When you think about moving your business forward, your thoughts are tangled in one giant rat's nest of ideas. How do you even begin to make sense of that unruly mess?
Need some fresh ideas or a big dose of inspiration for your business? Here are a few of my favorite books and podcasts for small business owners.
There's a lot of debate out there about whether or not to put your pricing on your website if you're a service provider--think designer, photographer, coach, consultant, etc.
I think you absolutely should and here's why:
Collin McRae Leix is an illustrator and animator based in Ypsilanti, Michigan. She oozes both creativity and thoughtfulness in everything she does (at least as far as I can tell!), and her animations reflect as much. Collin discusses her journey as an artist and business owner, what keeps her going, and what she's up to next:
