Yesterday, I had the absolute joy of being interviewed by Michele PW for her Love-Based Money podcast (I’ll let you know when it airs).
It’s been a long time since I’ve shared my journey about how I started my business, but more importantly, WHY I started it and what decisions and shifts were critical to the success I’ve created to date.
One of the simple mantras I shared with Michele is this:
What’s one thing I can do today to move my business forward?
When the kids were small, and I only had tiny pockets of time to grow my business, that was my mantra. I had it on a post-it note on my desk – in fact, I still do.
Today, that means letting another piece of my business model go.
You see, sometimes it’s letting go of something more than ‘doing’ something.
And now I have a second question that I’m asking myself every day:
What’s one thing I can do today to move towards the Life I want?
Today, that means continuing ‘the great purge’.
Most of the time, my answers to those questions aren’t quite so big, but asking them helps to keep me centered, focused and moving forward.
What are your answers to those questions?
It’s Wednesday and we got hammered with over a foot of snow all day yesterday, but it’s sunny with clear blue skies now so it’s gorgeous… 🙂
Today, the kids test for their next belt in karate, so they’ll be practicing and studying, and will probably get outside to sled this afternoon too, while James is snow-blowing. Poor California guy had to marry a New England gal… 😉
I’ve been spending a lot of time lately journaling and in conversation with some trusted colleagues to discern what I really want as far as my business goes. I’m actually pretty clear on it, but sometimes we all need a little bucking up to find the courage to make the bigger shifts.
I’ve been sharing some of the practical shifting (cleaning up my email list, converting my Facebook profile page to a new business page, etc.) but there’s a lot more intangible shifting going on as well…
And I’ve been reminded of the time when I wanted to host my first live event.
I’d wanted to host my own event for a few years, but frankly I was scared.
I had NO idea how to do that – and even though I had a great coach at the time to guide me, the type of events she was putting on were not the type of events I wanted to do.
But I’m a good coaching client – so I followed the steps that were being outlined for me, and long story short, I ended up with a $15k contract and a ballroom at an airport hotel – BLAK!
That did not feel good at all, so I took a step back and really focused on what I wanted – not necessarily what everyone else was doing or even what I was being advised to do for all perfectly logical and sensible business reasons – and I made some decisions from that place instead.
Honestly, once I did that, everything clicked into place easily… that was in 2010 and this fall will be my 8th year hosting my event. 🙂
So I’m wondering if there’s something you’re doing in your business that doesn’t feel quite right, for any reason, whether it’s an event or something else entirely?
Here’s what I know – you may have all the right pieces in place (the offer, the marketing copy, the audience, the launch strategies, etc.) but if those tangibles don’t line up with the intangible – how you FEEL about the offer, it’s not going to be the success you want it to be.
Think about that… and let me know if it resonates in the comments.
It’s Tuesday morning and Stella has arrived…
We’re supposed to get about 18 inches of snow, so we’re hunkered down for the day, with our own version of ‘Kids Baking Competition” going on here – Jack is going to make German Chocolate Cupcakes and Chloe is making Lemon Icy Pops… should be fun – and messy. 😉
Yesterday, the kids and I spent a lovely (sunny!) day at the lake, visiting our favorite bookstore, and then enjoying pizza at our go-to summer pub.
No matter who is working at the pub, they all know Chloe and Jack, but this time we had a new server. While we sat there, one of the servers who regularly waits on us walked by the window and tapped to wave hello. Then the bartender came in for her shift and hollered over hello to the kids. As we were getting ready to leave, our server said that she and a guest at the bar were talking about how polite and well-mannered Chloe and Jack are – and that everyone in the pub seemed to know them by name.
And while she commented on my part in it (which quite honestly always means a lot to me, as we know how hard parenting can be at times!), I really give the credit to the kids, because not only are they polite, but they are engaged…
When someone asks Jack how he is, he immediately responds with, “Good, how are YOU?” with the intention that he really wants to know. When Chloe asks for something, she not only ask politely, but she’ll explain why she’d like it. When one of them wants a glass of water, they will ask for a round for everyone.
The way they interact encourages people to want to know them better, which is why everyone knows their names. 🙂
My point is, you can have a cursory relationship with people – or you can make slightly more effort and deepen the connection.
One way to do that is to show up and share.
My hope is that I’ve engaged with you just a little bit more over these last few weeks of regular connecting. I’m also hoping we can move into a dialogue over at my free Facebook group.
But regardless, the lesson is the same – in what way can you deepen your relationship with your audience, market, tribe?
Are you talking with them more often than at them?
Once of quickest (and for me, the most enjoyable) ways to do that is by hosting an intimate live event.
Yesterday, I told you that I’d share a free resource that will give you some critical behind-the-scenes strategies to hosting your own profitable small event that will help you see that you CAN do it, and it’s not as hard as you may think.
It’s almost ready so I’ll shoot you an email when you can access it, ok?
Ok, I’m off to the kitchen now to see what we can whip up!
Stay safe where you are –
We’re less than 2 weeks away from my free MasterClass, and I’m looking forward to sharing some of the shifts I’ve learned over the last several years…
The Power of Simplicity ~
6 Shifts to Creating Ease & Flow in Your Online Business
Reserve your free seat here
It may not feel like spring but I love that it’s lighter later now… 🙂
We’re heading to the lake this afternoon for a visit to our favorite bookstore and then our go-to restaurant in the summer for dinner… yum.
Before we do, let’s talk about events.
First, there are the ones you attend… like perhaps my brand-new Simplify & Amplify event that’s coming up in the fall… 😉
Then there are the ones you host – or have been wanting to host.
I recently led a very comprehensive course called Profitable Live Events, that sold out, received huge accolades, and was quite profitable.
In fact, if you read my email from a few days ago where I shared some of my financials, this was the course that was my 3rd highest seller in 2016 – and was the one that was “very targeted in both content and audience”.
What I knew then, and still know now, is that this course is only going to be relevant to you if you want to host your own small live event (the course covers single or multiple-day events, masterminds, workshops, retreats, etc.).
And that’s the teaching point for today –
Honestly, I was nervous about using my precious spring promotion time to offer such a specific course, when I knew only a small percentage of my list would be interested in hosting their own live event.
But to my delight, the course sold out with just the right students and it was a joy to lead.
So my question for you today is, is there something you want to offer, that you have a certain level of credibility about (I had hosted and sold out 6 previous small events, so I knew what I was talking about), but that you’re hesitating about because you’re not certain ‘enough’ people will say yes?
Share it here and let’s see if we can get you some support or guidance, ok?
And if you do have a desire to host your own profitable small event, I’ll have a free learning guide available for you very soon that will give you those all-important behind-the-scenes strategies that will help you see that you CAN do it, and it’s not as hard as you may think. 😉
We’ve been out and about the last few days while the kids are on spring break this week, but today we’re hanging out at home…
At the moment, James is working on his presentation for a 1-Day University gig he has coming up, Chloe’s working on her Humanities homework, and Jack is reading (he’s very into the Wings of Fire books these days).
Me?
I’ve been running my financials so I can have a crystal clear picture of where I am and where I’ve been so I can accurately chart the course for going forward.
You may do this in December or January, but since my business year is September to June each year, it’s around this time of year where I start looking ahead and adjusting my sails…
One of the questions I’ve asked myself is what offers were financially successful – AND felt good delivering – during this business year?
I ranked them in profitability first (the facts) and then looked at them from the level of enjoyment I had in that offer (the feelings).
Because both have to be in alignment in order to create a successful business that continues to feel good as it grows.
I invite you to do the same. Look over the past year’s offers, what the gross income was for each, and rank them in order of highest to lowest profit. Then check in on each with your feelings, and write down any insights you have.
I learned two important things doing this exercise:
1. My 2nd highest income stream was a program that has lower enrollment than I would like, but it’s one I enjoy offering the most.
2. My 3rd highest income stream was an offer that was very targeted both in audience and in content.
So for #1, I will consider how I can re-work this offer to be more appealing to the right clients to increase enrollment.
And for #2, I’ll use this information as I consider offering a similar program in the future.
This kind of simple (yet smart) taking stock is super-useful as you grow your business, and is one of the things I’ll be talking about on my upcoming free MasterClass:
The Power of Simplicity ~
6 Shifts to Creating Ease & Flow in Your Online Business
Reserve your free seat here.
Now I’m going to see how Chloe’s research on cats in Ancient Egypt is going…
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