It took me a LONG time to stop DIY-ing my brand.
I mean, a REALLY long time. More than 20 years.
It wasn't because I thought I was the bee's knees at branding or anything - I'm clearly NOT.
I just didn't think it was the best use of my resources.
I mean... take a trip in the Wayback Machine with me and look at these oh-so-sexy early brand images.
This thing took me FOREVER to create - one pixel at a time - in MS Paint, I believe.
Looking back on it, I can say that it LOOKS like it was made in MS Paint. I was SO proud of all the detail. The shading! Look at that tiny little pot at the base of the hill! The cactus has a shadow!
Never mind that you can't really READ the words at all. I mean, who needs to know what your company is all about?
That landing page is HAWT, right? I used every bad design trick in the book on that logo. Reflection? Check. Outer glow? Double check. Embossing, drop shadow, inner glow, and outline? Baby, I got 'em ALL up in there!
It was also on the cover of the first edition of my direct sales training workbook.
I actually got smart and hired someone - on a site called "50dollarlogo.com" - to design something for the second edition of my book:
Yes... I was blonde for a time. And yes... I DID have more fun! But maintaining that color was a PITA. I had to cut my hair every time I colored it. Eventually, I gave up on it.
But look at that book cover - I still put that "glow" around my name, and what about the TERRIBLE cropping job I did around my hair? and let's not talk about the bad photoshopping of the money and the calendar. I mean, ooof! It's bad! And the website didn't match the book. It was just a mess!
Around the same time, I launched The Renaissance Mom. If you've been around a while, you might remember that old brand. Again, I hired out the design to someone who was REALLY good at giving me what I asked for, but I DIY'd everything else - including the website. Talk about a discombobulated brand! I went through a number of tag lines in the course of a few months and none of it stuck. I even tried hosting a 3-day event that totally BOMBED. Here's a screenshot from 2010:
Those giant, clickable social buttons on the top of the page? Yeah, they TOTALLY blend!
Good times!
I stumbled through another year of trying to DIY my website and then, because I was tired of trying to keep up with all the wordpress theme updates, I hired someone to do a whole refresh. I realized it was time for me to do SOMETHING unique to make a unique mark in the industry. Everything I'd done up to that point was built off someone else's template (except for those early logos, and well, you saw how good THEY were!).
I didn't have a ton of cash to lay out, but it was clean, original, and I finally had a tag line that felt genuine. I don't know why that was so important to me, but it was. Still is, to be honest. I think it helps people know what I'm about and what I stand for.
And that was the first time my name became my brand. GULP!
I had fonts! I had a logo! I had brand colors! I had ARRIVED!
I started making worksheets in Open Office (before Google Docs was hot, my friend!) and all my stuff started to look like it belonged together.
The Secret Watch came out in 2012 and I was finally a *published author* gosh darn it - and I wanted a website and branding to reflect this new version of me. Something totally custom.
Behold the Stepford website of 2014:
Now, to be fair, this website was EVERYTHING I asked for. I hired a designer to take the old phoenix from the Renaissance Mom logo and build a new one. Out of the ashes, right?!?
I even ordered business cards (still have them) with that logo. Then, I hired a web designer to incorporate that into my new website. We had new fonts, new colors, and I thought it was GLORIOUS!
But I was still doing a lot of DIY. I mean, check out this monstrosity:
Look at all those fonts and colors! The spacing! Your attention goes everywhere and nowhere all at the same time. WHAT A DISASTER!
But I was SO PROUD of it at the time. It lived on the bottom of the home page of that site for over a year.
That leopard print was slapped on everything for many years. I'm still a big animal print fan, but it took the tough love of a seasoned pro to help me get over myself.
By 2015, I was ready to release another album. It had been a while, and I had a clear vision for the project, so I booked my very first *official* photoshoot. I think I dropped a few hundred dollars on it. Which, for me, was HUGE at that time. From those photos, I reached out to Tracy Lay, who I'd known for a few years. She took those images and developed my very first Brand Guide. Here's a peek:
I felt SO professional! Tracy went on to create a bunch of branded templates for me - for YouTube, workbooks (still in Open Office!), and really felt like I had my shit together. Except that it didn't really match the website. Well, except for the leopard print. Like Sriracha, I put that on ev'rythang!
It was 2016. I had just moved to Nashville. Hot on the heels of my album release, I had just completed work on my Creative Entrepreneur Type Quiz. I jumped into Canva to create THIS carbuncle:
I used that thing for a few years. If you look hard enough, you can still find it buried in the pages of my current website. Shhh. Don't tell Tracy! I was using Canva for just about every design or brand project at that time. Social posts? Yep. Email headers? Sure thing!
And it was ALL. OVER. THE. MAP.
I mean, I had Tracy's brand guide, but I didn't know the first thing about design that worked. Clearly. I mean, just look at that thing! *shudder*
Thankfully, I did the right thing and hired Tracy to design the book layout when it was ready to launch. THAT turned out pretty darn good! So much so, that I also hired her to take the pictures from my second photo shoot in 2017 and fix my Stepford website - that I'd been running with for more than four years at that point. ZOINKS!
Together, we developed my second-ever mood board:
You'll notice some of the same elements, but a more sophisticated look and feel. I was "growing up" my little brand - and starting to embrace my sparkle! That was 2017. The plan was to create a "phase one" website that would start my transition from that old "Stepford" look and feel to a more grown-up brand. By the end of 2019, we were finally able to roll it out:
Yes, that leopard print's still kickin'! But we also pulled SO much of the book branding into the website. Fonts, colors, logo, tag line. The whole nine. And it was everywhere - social templates, Youtube thumbnails, email, worksheets (now in Canva, my friend!)...all the bells and whistles!
FINALLY, a cohesive brand... just a measly 25 years after I started this entrepreneurial journey!
Just in time for a pandemic. womp womp!
The truth is that none of it was actually bad in the moment - for where I was at and what I was trying to do. It served a purpose. It gave me a starting point. And to a degree, I was right - plunking down (tens of) thousands of dollars for branding would NOT have been a good use of my resources then. I was a mompreneur with young kids... then a divorced, single mompreneur who had to rebuild her life after a failed marriage.
But once I got established in Nashville, things started to change for me. I recognized that my DIY branding wasn't doing the heavy lifting I needed it to do. It looked half-assed, and my results for my clients are NOT half-assed. I put my whole ass into it, every time!
Working with a professional like Tracy, I've learned how to make better design decisions. But I also realized that having her as my brand guardian meant that I could TRUST someone else to make sure I looked good. What a relief! She's done all my branding since then, and most of my design work. And she made it easy for me because we put all the templates into canva.
So when I started working on my next book, and realizing that my brand wasn't reflecting the direction I needed to go next, I called Tracy, and we started working on the "phase two" website and branding of my dreams.
I mean, can we just celebrate how GOOD this all looks for a minute? And how it all goes together?!
DIY can take you pretty far. I don't knock it, because I know how important it is to do what you can, as you are able, with what you have... whatever that might be.
AND... I also know that sometimes you need to go further than what your DIY skills can provide. That's the benefit of hiring a pro.
Is it branding? Honoring your boundaries? Expanding your capacity? Something else? Not sure? I can help you suss that out. Book a next steps session and we can figure it out together.
I just returned from a week in St. Louis for our annual Creative Freedom Retreat. I stayed an extra night after everyone left to do some of my own planning. One of the things I got very clear on is that doing more live events is part of my plans for 2025. Stay tuned for updates on Creative Freedom Live - a new event that will deep dive into the elements of my book!
I LOVE being in the room where the action happens... where the light bulbs come on for folks. Plus, there's a different kind of connection between folks who meet in person versus coming together on a virtual platform.
Believe me. I've experienced the differences personally - both as a host and an attendee.
While I get that not everyone can travel, and that not everyone is excited about doing live events, I still feel strongly that there's a lot more value in doing live, in-person events - including industry-specific markets and pop-up shops. These types of events give you the chance to build deeper connections and increase sales.
If you’ve been considering hosting or exhibiting at in-person events, here's my take on making it worth your while.
Many businesses put their focus into trying to market to online customers. That makes sense, because it's "easier" and can be more cost effective if you're blasting emails and social media messages out all day. But there’s value in marketing in the real world, too. There are plenty of uber-successful companies and creatives NOT using Instagram or TikTok to grow their businesses - and making bank to boot!
Beyond money, exposure at in-person events can be valuable, too - if the event is one where your best audience attends (if it's not, then why are you there?). If you're sponsoring a booth or stage time, you'll get the undivided attention of the folks in the room, which often leads to sales at industry events. It can also lead to new networking connections. I've walked away from events with sales, new leads, and new friends and colleagues.
And if it's YOUR event? You can curate an experience that can't be found anywhere else. You have control of the environment, any speakers or sponsors that you want to have, and a deeper intimacy with the folks who get to engage with your brand! That kind of brand experience has led several of my clients to become regulars at my annual event. It's not that they don't know how to do annual planning for themselves, but that being in community with other folks helps them get more clarity, make more confident decisions, and be ready to take more courageous actions for their future.
If you run an online business, then you might have an idea of the type of people who like your products, but you may only have a small sample size, based on folks who've found you and bought from you online. At an in-person event, you’ll have the opportunity to meet your customers face to face. Aside from getting to know your audience a bit better, this can also be a major boost for your confidence as a business owner. There’s nothing better than hearing people gush about how much they love your products! Plus, you'll have time to do a lot more recon when you can talk to them face-to-face. Learn about why they buy, why they don't, why they're willing to travel to see you, and what makes them choose you over the competition.
Unless you only offer a handful of things, you probably won’t be able to bring all of your inventory to an event, so select your best-selling items, or ones that best represent your brand. Think "wow factor" if you're in a vendor booth or presenting from the stage. Once people have that "wow" experience with your brand, they're more ready to make a purchase. Obviously, you’ll need a way to accept payments. Tap to Pay on iPhone is available here, which will make it easy for your new customers to pay for their goods. Finally, some branded materials (say, banners including your business name) can help to make your stand more visually appealing.
If you're hosting the event, you'll need to think about how to incorporate sales into your experience. I don't offer anything for sale during my annual planning retreat, but I do make offers when I speak from the stage or during other in-person events like book tours, concerts, or other live trainings. I almost always have books and CDs available at a merch table of some sort. If you've got event sponsors or vendors, you'll want to consider how they'll be able to make the most of their time. If they're not seeing a positive return on their investment, they'll probably skip your event next time.
Find (Or Create) The Right Event
Making sure the right people are at the right event is crucial for maximizing success. Get it right, and you’ll have a whole audience of people interested in your types of products. Get it wrong, and it’ll be a waste of your time.
If you're sponsoring or exhibiting, do some research to understand the target audience of the event you’re thinking of attending. For example, rather than just selling your clothes at a clothes market, try to learn the demographic that the event is for. If it’s for people who fall under your ideal customer profile, then go for it. Otherwise, take a pass.
If you're hosting the event, the same thing applies. Know your audience - and be able to communicate that to any sponsors or vendors you're trying to attract. Again, if they can't see an ROI from participating, they'll look elsewhere.
If you're looking for more insights into live events, check out these episodes of the Creative Freedom Show:
Not sure if events are the best marketing tool for you? Book a Next Steps Session and let's talk!
When you’re developing your brand, it takes a lot more than just creating a fabulous and memorable logo or coming up with a catchy tagline. A great brand makes a lasting, memorable impact in the mind of your customer. It's built on a combination of things, like strategic planning, consistency, and your brand stories - they "mythology" of your company, your found (YOU), and your offers. It doesn't happen by accident. You have to choose - and keep choosing - to have a great brand.
Most brands have a clear vision. Your vision basically outlines the long-term plans and aspirations for your business, so it’s a great way not just to explain to your customers, investors, partners, and others that you’ve got a plan and you know what you’re doing, but it’s also a wonderful reminder to you of what you’re aiming for in the end - sometimes it’s easy to forget. Part of that vision is private. Internal to the company stake holders (employees, team members, you). But the public facing part of your vision is often found in the form of a vision statement. It's one way (but not the only way) to communicate that vision to your Raving Fans.
When you’re building a brand, you need to have a consistent brand voice - that way, whether you use your branding on your website or you hire a sticker maker for some giveaway swag, you’ll be able to make sure everything looks the same and, crucially tells the same story with the same message.
That means you're not speaking informally on your website and then showing up ultra-professional in person. That creates a disconnect. It you say "y'all" on your website, say it in person, too!
One of the best things to do to keep your brand voice consistent is to be genuinie - especially as a personal brand. The worst thing you can do is create a persona for your brand that doesn't feel authentic to who you are. You'll feel imprisoned after a while - chained to a brand identity that doesn't fit you. If your brand is an authentic reflection of who you are and what matters to you, then you won’t have to keep remembering what you said or did or how things sounded; it’s easy to remember - because it's YOU... or at least the version of you that you want the world to know.
This is important: you don't have to air all your dirty laundry. You can keep some things to yourself. No one has a right to see every part of you (except you). YOU get to decide how to "shape" your public brand by deciding what you want the world to know.
That said, you never have full control of your brand because it's ultimately up to your audience. It's how THEY see you and the stories they tell about you that ultimately define your brand. As I often say, you can't control the outcome, all you can do is influence it based on how you show up in the world. That's actually a GOOD thing because if you're being genuine, you're attracting people who like what you're about and repelling the folks that don't.
A great brand understands how important it is to treat your customers well. Understand your market, do appropriate market research, get customer feedback, and engage with your customers to get a broader view of who they are and what matters to them.
When you know what your customers want, you’ll be able to tailor your products, services, and marketing efforts to meet their expectations - in ways that also work for you - and you can use your brand to tell them you know what they’re looking for.
Staying on top of trends, attending industry events, going to conferences, and so on - the more you can learn and implement, the better. That doesn't mean running yourself ragged, but it does mean having an idea of what's actually going on inside your market beyond your doors.
Of course, to stay relevant means you might have to make changes in your business, so if you’re really serious about making your brand great, being comfortable with the idea of change is a must. The only constant is change, right? Make calculated, strategic changes when it matters. It will help you stay relevant to the people that matter most to your business.
And it's okay to NOT be mainstream. In fact, most creatives aren't. They've found their own path forward and that's half the reason their audience loves them. Let your audience love you and your brand, too!
Being in business is honestly one of the most challenging things a person can ever do; it’s not easy stuff in the slightest! One day, you’re on top of the world, sketching out big plans like your marketing strategy, and the next, you might find yourself drowning in to-do lists. That initial rush of excitement can quickly give way to the grind and that's exactly when many new business ideas begin to lose steam.
Running a business in the early stages (or launching a new initiative in an established one) can be particularly tough. Staying motivated is crucial—not just for ticking off tasks, but for keeping your spirit alive through all the ups and downs. AND THERE ARE A LOT OF UPS AND DOWNS!
The truth is, you can't expect to always be "on" and have the best attitude - sometimes, when things go off the rails, it's demotivating and really sucks! But when the temptation to just say “screw it” and stop might be tempting, having ways to stay inspired and motivated can help you re-focus and get back on track to turn your dreams into reality.
Remind yourself why you started on this journey. Whether it is the desire for financial independence, a passion for your product, or the drive to solve a problem, keeping your core motivation at the forefront can reignite your enthusiasm during tough times. Lizzo slept in her car in order to stay in the place where she could make her musical dreams a reality. I'm not saying you need to do that, but it's important to place your dreams and realities into perspective and be honest about why you're doing what you're doing and what you're REALLY willing to do to see success.
Instead of a traditional to-do list, keep a 'done list' - I call it a "Ta dahh!" list. It's a place to document everything you've accomplished at the end of the day. It’s about feeling accomplished at the end of the day, not focusing on what else you need to do today and for the rest of the week. It doesn’t really matter if it’s big or small. Did you launch a new program today? Ta Dahh! Set up your website? Ta Dahh!" Complete your EIN registration with a federal employee identification number filing service? Ta Dahh! It's DONE! Celebrate!
A day of doing nothing? How exactly could this even help? While this might sound counterintuitive, occasionally allowing yourself a guilt-free pass to relax and recharge without any pressure can prevent burnout. Basically, it’s just a break, and you deserve to give yourself a break.
In my first marriage, I had a "leave me the eff alone day" every quarter. I'd leave in the morning and come back whenever I felt like it. Don't call me. Don't try to find me, because even I didn't know what was going to happen that day. Sometimes I just went to the park for a few hours and came back home. Other times I left town completely. It just depended on where my head was at and what I needed to refill my bucket.
Now, I have structured "uncontaminated time" in my calendar. That's a term I learned from Breanne Dyck that I've shared with my own clients. If your calendar is so full that you don't have time for NOTHING, it's no wonder you're struggling with motivation.
It can be a nice way to decompress and really let go while staying motivated. So, ideally, it’s a good idea to set aside regular time slots each week just to think. You’ll want to use this time to step back and look at the bigger picture, brainstorm new ideas, or reflect on what is and isn’t working. This can prevent you from getting bogged down in day-to-day tasks and help you stay focused on strategic goals. It’s also a good idea to gain more mental clarity.
Believe me, I understand that there are times when it feels like you just can't pull away or the house of cards will collapse. That's the MOST important time to step back. because you're building something that's not sustainable. Sure, there are times to hustle, but those times need to be the exception, not the rule. If you need support figuring out how to have a business that works for how you're wired to work and gives you a sustainable path forward - with time off for doing NOTHING - book a next steps session and let's talk!
When you’ve been running your business day in, day out for years on end, it’s easy to let things slide and become a little uninspired. Think back to when you first thought of your business idea: all you were thinking about was how to get things going. You also thought about the money, the lifestyle, and all of the other perks that come hand in hand with owning your own business.
But, when it actually comes to it and you’ve built this business model, you realise how much there actually is to think about, and your whole life becomes centred on making sure that what you’ve already built stays where it is. The problem with that is that while your business might still be making money, it’s simply not going anywhere. And, you might be feeling too afraid to take that next step to make things exciting again; not just for you, but for your customers as well.
If you really want a business that stands out from the crowd and excites people, you have to be brave enough to take those steps!
Not sure where to start? Here are a few thoughts on how you can breathe a new life into your business.
Rebranding is a big step, and it’s something that many small businesses steer away from because it can become confusing to your customers. If you’re already struggling to keep up with the brand you have in place at the moment, you might be wondering how rebranding might benefit your business.
When I approached Tracy at Digivisual Design to work on my gorgeous new website rebrand, I knew it was time for an upgrade. The old red an blue with animal prints was fun, but it didn't reflect the more sophisticated (dare I say elegant?) appearance and approach I was taking in my business. It didn't accurately attract the kind of clients I wanted to attract, either, which was a BIG clue. We'd already done some preliminary work around my mood board for what I wanted the new website to be like, and that laid the foundation for a solid rebrand.
So, if you know that your branding isn’t working for you - or you don't even HAVE a brand, but you're swimming in a sea of Canva templates and changing out colors - then this is something to consider. Think about it this way: if you re-emerge as a business that’s bright and beautiful with new ideas and products to bring to the table, then you’re bound to attract more attention. If you’re bland, rebranding is a good choice to consider.
Rebranding isn’t always easy, especially if you don’t have the mind for design and creation. If hiring a pro isn't in your budget yet, talk to Tracy. She has a DIY course that can help you create something inspiring pretty quickly.
If your branding is strong, it could be your client experience - either with your offers, or with your company. Sit back and think, what kind of experience would you like to have if you were looking for the same things your customers are. There’s a good chance that doing this alone will give you plenty of ideas on how you can switch things up to be more enticing for your customers.
For example, if you run a local pharmacy that simply doesn’t seem to be getting the customers that you used to, then what is it that you’re missing out on? You could consider adding in a consultation room for patients that need privacy, or you might implement patient adherence solutions so they can keep on top of their medication. There are ideas galore out there to improve your customer experience. Maybe it's time to explore some new options!
You might also benefit from looking at what your competitors are doing - but with a caveat.
This isn't about making yourself feel bad about what you're NOT doing or how they are somehow so much better or farther along than you are. Instead, use this as an opportunity to see what you can do that they can't or a way to do something even better. You might even spot a gap in the market and bring something new to the table that nobody else is doing in your industry. When I launched the Incubator years ago, there was no one else in the coaching world offering it. Now you see "incubators" popping up all over the place for creative entrepreneurs (still none with our pay-for-results model!). When you can offer something new and exciting, customers that need that difference will choose you.
Also, if the fear of rejection has stopped you from releasing a product or idea into your business, then now is the time to take that leap. It might just be the one thing separating you from your competitors and it could take you from zero to hero in your industry.
When the going gets tough, sometimes the best thing to do is get out of the space you’re in and start fresh. In fact, there’s a good chance that if you’ve ever struggled with a situation in your life, all you could think about was escaping from the space you’re in and never looking back. And, the same goes for your business.
Like with your personal life, the thing that’s holding you back might simply be your location; the benefits you’ll get will be the same! If relocating your business is something you want to consider, you need to start thinking about being in business central, where your brand is more likely to get the business it needs. You need to think about larger cities and the benefits that will come hand in hand with this.
Of course, moving to the city might mean uprooting your life, but if there’s nothing holding you back in your personal life, then what’s stopping you? It might take a lot of guts to do this, but if you do, the benefits will be worth it, especially if you’re currently situated in a small town that doesn’t get much tourism at the moment.
All you’d need to do is find a place that suits your business, in an area that would likely suit your industry too. Using the pharmacy example again, you could find a space where there are lots of other medical establishments nearby so that you become the new “go-to” pharmacy. Of course, this might not apply to your business, but the premise is still the same.
You’ll also need to consider the needs of your staff too; you don’t want to end up moving somewhere that nobody can get to. Some staff might be willing to relocate with you, whereas others may prefer to commute or work more of a hybrid role if possible.
Relocation doesn't just mean physical... although it can. I've moved 5 times in the past few years and, while it's been a lot, it's also put me in the place where I am today. Relocation can also mean your online assets. We consolidated our community and learning areas into one place. We've migrated to a new mailing list service provider. Those moves weren't easy, took some work, AND were totally worth the effort.
One of the best things you can do for your business is making sure that you’re communicating with your customers in the right way. But ask yourself; are you already doing that? If the answer is no, you’re not alone. In fact, it’s often an area where businesses fall short, which is why so many companies around the world have a really bad reputation when it comes to customer service.
You already know how important great customer service is and that it should always be in practice with you and your staff, but actually doing it is easier said than done, especially if you have rude or difficult customers. However, making sure that you’re polite, helpful, and take prompt action on customer complaints will help you stay on top of things.
Sometimes though, it’s not just about customer service, it’s actually about what you can do on a deeper level to make sure that you’re targeting the right people for your business. For example, you could take the time to use a testing platform to encourage the right customers to come forward to your business and introduce you to the right kinds of people you should be aiming your marketing efforts at.
In fact, user testing is something that many large businesses use, and taking the results of it could have a seriously positive effect on your company, so it’s definitely something to take into consideration.
Finally, if there’s one thing you want when it comes to gaining and keeping customers, it’s to be a loved brand. And to do that, you’ve got to be loyal. This means you have to be consistent in everything that you do all while being the best at what you do. There’s not a single customer out there that will say that they don’t like consistency when it comes to businesses they’re dealing with, and they love it when a company goes the extra mile to help them.
If you can master that side of things, you’ll have a brand that’s lovable, a brand that people immediately think of when they need your products and services, and you’ll have a brand that’s as successful as you’ve always dreamed of.
Remember, the sky's the limit, and while big business decisions can be scary, the simple fact is that your business isn’t going to go anywhere if you don’t make those decisions and act on them. Bring your business back to life with these 5 amazing tips!
Whether you are established and looking to grow your business, or you are just starting to think about the future of your company, your market matters.
Regardless of your industry, your market needs to be big enough to support the health and wellbeing of your company. The larger your company, the larger your market needs to be (because you'll need more money to pay those bills!). Sometimes that means you'll need to broaden your audience and serve a different "slice of a slice" in order to get that market coverage. Apple started as a computer company and has diversified over the years into music and media to serve a larger market. You may not be the next Apple, but it might be time to broaden your market reach. If so, read on!
If you are keen to find a broader market for your business, here are a few ways to reach more people:
Widen Your Niche
I know. Business coaches like me tell you to "niche down" and focus on one thing (or one collection of things). That's to help you gain momentum and traction in a market. When you're clear on who you serve, it's easier to create marketing that resonates. But once you're established, or if you truly do have a wider market potential, it makes sense to open things up a bit and serve more people.
Here's a pretty basic example: I taught direct sellers for years. That was my niche. But folks that weren't direct sellers kept showing up to my training and, eventually, I had a throng of non-direct sales business owners that made up an entirely new market for me. Over time, I shifted almost completely away from direct sales-specific training, and had a wider focus on entrepreneurship for creative entrepreneurs. And even now, I'm shifting my focus again to micro business owners who know they want to be the celebrity in their niche. It's a wider audience than just creative entrepreneurs, even though it's a much more focused area of support.
Start to explore the sub-realms within or alongside your niche. Leverage the audience you already have, if possible. If you're a photographer, for example, maybe instead of doing just weddings, you'll also do boudoir. You're widening your offerings to attract a slightly different audience, but an audience that probably overlaps at least a little with the folks you already serve.
Bring In More (Web) Traffic
Whether you've got a brick and mortar location or you're solely online, having more of the right people coming through your "doors" means the potential for increased sales and repeat buyers.
Physical locations make a difference (location, location, location!), but so do the ways you invite people to those locations. What kind of attraction marketing are you doing? Are you partnering with nearby shops to capitalize on traffic already in the area? There are a variety of ways to bring more bodies into your establishment. What are you currently doing and what needs to change? Hiring a marketing agency or a business coach can help (ahem. hint hint, nudge, nudge!).
In the online world, you may want to use a professional SEO agency like Big Surf Digital to help you to bring in more web traffic. You can also do your own bit towards increasing traffic - including creating compelling content that is going to draw people in.
With more web traffic comes a broader audience and greater opportunities for sales, so this is something that you will certainly find useful to focus on.
Partner Up
Sometimes, a very effective way for a business to broaden its market share is to actually partner up with another company. It goes without saying that this other company won’t be a direct competitor, but one that is working in a similar kind of area of work, and in such a way that you should be able to work together towards similar goals. Think: a tax accountant who has a referral relationship with a financial advisor. With the best partnerships, you end up in a situation where you are going to both benefit much more compared to being alone.
Be choosy about your partners and who they are, but it’s the kind of thing that can help grow a business more quickly because you're leveraging the power of the networks of TWO businesses, instead of one!
Sell A New Product
Like the Apple example above, sometimes it’s as simple as just trying to sell a new product and seeing how that fares. Don't spread yourself too thin - that's the issue that often happens when someone tries to sell a bunch of different offers right out of the gate in a new business! Instead, think of another offer you might sell that's a logical "next step" for your existing audience and start putting it out there. You might find that this is enough to start things growing again.
Photo credit: Unsplash
Looking for better ways to manage your business and keep things under control?
Easier said than done! You need to identify the best ways to make your business more manageable - and it's different for every business. But here are five tips to prime the pump.
Sometimes you have to design things yourself. That makes sense if you're a small business and you're floating a first-time idea into the world. No need to plunk down a ton of cash on a design you're going to change later anyway. In fact, my designer, Tracy, has a quick and easy e-course to help you get your logo looking awesome for less if you're still in DIY mode. But for your core brand pieces, designing yourself, is often time-consuming and ineffectual. You want brand materials that will benefit your business. Even having a designer build business templates for you can help improve how you run your business. You'll have a brand-standard way of getting your message out without spending too long developing them yourself.
As your business grows, you'll hire more people to handle the workload. But you won't do well hiring any old warm body off the street. You may need to design a hiring process that ensures you hire the best candidates every time. They should understand what you want for your business and be ready to offer as much as possible to help it achieve and exceed its goals.
There are some issues you may not be able to handle in-house, especially as your customer base grows and you experience more demand. Rather than risk falling behind your competition, leave it to agencies to automate and operate your marketing needs. You can work with an email marketing platform to maximize reach and exposure to maintain customers and obtain new ones. Additionally, working with outsourcing companies for written content and other essentials will enable you to focus on parts of your business that require more attention.
Toxic company cultures can severely impact how productive your team is. Although you hope everyone will be professional enough to put differences aside for projects, this is not always the case. Therefore, encouraging a positive company culture and fixing any issues between your employees is vital. You need to be on the ball with what’s happening within your office and create an environment where people will happily voice their concerns without fear of reproach. The more communicative your office is, the easier it will be to keep everyone on the same page.
Finally, all entrepreneurs must learn to control their budget by setting goals and tracking expenses to ensure they can improve overall management. While you can’t be too stringent with costs, you shouldn’t overspend, as this can put your company in a precarious position. As long as you make the best investments in equipment, people, and marketing, your company will thrive as expected.
You can always find better ways to manage your business and ensure things run smoothly. Focusing on these critical areas will make everything else much easier, which puts your business in a better position to achieve its goals and achieve success.
Whether you're a new business or you've been around a while, achieving some level of established growth is an important ultimate goal for most companies. To get there, however, you need adequate research, proven strategies, and targeted actions to produce results. You must connect deeply with your audience and seek to understand and fulfill their needs - in ways that only you can. Ways that make you the obvious choice for what you offer. Since competition is rampant in every industry, it is important to stand out fiercely and ensure you capture the attention of your market. Here are some effective techniques to achieve success.
Affiliate marketing has been popular for some time, as it is an effective marketing strategy for growing your business. It has introduced a new way of promoting your products and services digitally. To put it simply, it involves collaboration between you and other businesses to advertise your merchandise in exchange for a commission whenever there is a sale or lead. One of its main advantages is that you don’t have to spend a lot of money as opposed to traditional marketing techniques like advertisement campaigns. This is because it is a performance-based model which allows you to only pay when there is an actual lead or sale.
Although blogs provide valuable information, they also help businesses stand out as an authority in their industries. If you have a website, adding a blog to your website can help you drive traffic, build your brand and showcase your expertise. Consider sites like sofiaseo.com to hire SEO experts who will employ the right keywords to attract your target market.
But... SEO tools are only part of the picture. Curate quality and useful content that can educate, inform, and attract your consumers. Because if it ain't quality, people ain't payin' attention!
Branding lets the world see your business personality. Brand is more than a logo or marketing slogan, it's the stories, perceptions, and ways your company influences emotions. How your audience views your business is important! Personality matters! Can a customer decipher who you are and what you represent through your brand materials? Do you hav a consistent "look and feel" in all your marketing across all your platforms? If not, you may need to hire help. I lean on Tracy Lay at Digivisual Design for all my branding help. Don't be afraid to change your brand strategy when needed. I've gone through multiple iterations over the years because I have changed. The same may go for you, too.
It is vital to get into the space of marketing through high-quality content that grasps the attention of your market and provides valuable information. Video marketing has become an innovative way to tell consumers about products and services through storytelling. For instance, if you sell makeup products, you can tell a tale of how applying your products have helped women feel beautiful and gain confidence in their looks. This will appeal to people who want to get a confidence boost and encourage them to buy from you. Ensure you invest in a good camera and brainstorm on creative advertising campaigns so you can stand out.
Word-of-mouth is one of the most powerful techniques that can increase your profit and elevate your company. First, you will need to provide top-notch goods and services as well as great customer service to your pre-existing consumers. Doing this will motivate them to tell others about your business and build your clientele. You can also offer incentives like discounts, freebies, or start referral programs that urge repeat consumers to refer your business for rewards. Apart from being effective, referrals can help you save money and expose your company to new opportunities and markets.
Growing a business requires a collection of strategies and practices. With these types of marketing techniques, you can propel your company to great success.
Image Credit: Nastuh Abootalebi from Unsplash.
Business security is an area every company needs to look after. While every entrepreneur already knows this, many don’t put enough time and effort into it. They’ll often just do the basics, which mightn’t be enough.
You’ll want to make sure your business is properly protected, after all. Once you do, you can potentially see benefits like:
And... it doesn’t need to be nearly as overwhelming as you think. Instead, it’s a matter of being practical about it.
Every company has its risks, with some of these being relatively obvious. Others wouldn’t be, however. Instead, they can be easy to overlook, despite how much they can threaten your business. You’ll need to know about these from as early as possible to keep your business safe.
Perform a risk assessment to figure all of this out. Not only does this tell you what risks you’re likely to come up across, but how likely you are to run into them. With this in hand, you’re in a much better position to figure out how to mitigate and overcome them.
Thieves and other malicious actors always scan for places that look unprotected. If a building looks dark, especially at night time, then they see it as more of an opportunity. Don’t let that happen with your business. Put up external lights, and these can act as a deterrent for potential thieves.
Even ones equipped with motion-detection can be a great help. You’ll be less likely to have any robberies or other circumstances during the night. It’ll even keep your employees safer if they have to leave the premises during the later hours. You’ve no reason not to put the effort into it.
You’ll bring in quite a bit of data as your company operates. A lot of this could be vital to operations, so it’s worth protecting it at all costs. Making sure your systems can’t get hacked is a great start with this, but it’s often worth doing more than that.
Systems could come down at various points, risking your data. There are tools, like Office 365 DLP by Spin AI and other sites, that can help make that one less thing to worry about. While you’ll still have to put time and effort into securing things on the front end, you’ll be in a much better position going forward.
You’ll already know you’ll need some basic protection when you’re trying to improve your business security. One of the first things you should do in your physical space is set up appropriate alarms and camera surveillance. Even in a home office, they can act as a deterrent for any thieves that try to break in. Then, if anything does happen, you’ll have footage of it, and the authorities should be immediately notified.
If your business premises has a car park, then make sure you don’t overlook its security. The external lights mentioned above can be a great help with this. They’re far from the only things you’ll need to consider when you’re looking after it, though. You could implement a few other measures.
Ideally, you’ll want to keep unwanted intruders out. Parking barriers, gates, and similar options can all help with this. With employee badges, you can make sure only the people supposed to park in the car park can. It’ll improve your business security quite a bit, making it worth the investment.
You’ll always need to keep your company as safe as possible. For many people that seems complicated, and they’ll often just do the basics and leave it at that. Don’t settle for that. Improve your business security as much as you can, and you shouldn’t have anything to worry about.
The benefits of putting the work in outweighs the time and effort it’ll take. You could even end up saving money because of it. You’ve no reason not to put some time and effort into making your company as safe as possible.
[Note: I started doing an annual recap back in 2010 . You can find other years here: | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 - 2020 got skipped for a number of reasons, not the least of which was the pandemic that shall not be named.]
OHHHH 2023. What a year you turned out to be!
If you've been in my orbit for any length of time, you know that my new year starts on Jan 5, because that's my birthday. It's so close to the beginning of the year - and I take that week off anyway - so it just makes logistical sense to my brain to count things that way.
So yeah... Happy New Year, y'all!
In many respects, looking back on 2023 felt like ripping a Band-Aid off a hairy, scabby wound.
"Yaaahh-eeep-ooochie-owie!"
But once the bandage is off, you see it's not so bad in there, after all.
While we didn't hit all our goals and objectives for 2023, we did manage some pretty cool stuff at Creative Freedom HQ. And there were some really neat surprise blessings that came along. The biggest of which TECHNICALLY happened in 2024, but I've been paving this path for months, so I'm counting it as one of the surprise blessings of 2023.
And yeah, there were some pretty crappy things, too - not the least of which was Jim's surgery. So let's pop into the wayback machine and have a look at the year we call 2023...
Oh, and for those of you unfamiliar, I set my goals using my Dreamblazing program, so you'll see me break my goals down by each of the 5 Key Area of Success.
At the beginning of 2023, this was my number 4 goal - to SHINE like the STAR that I am. To recognize, embrace, and celebrate my own Star Power. Self-belief has been an ongoing struggle since my divorce. It's easy to put on a veneer of confidence, but to actually FEEL like you're making progress toward the things that matter most hasn't been as easy for me. I had major surgery three years in a row, Covid at the beginning and end of 2022, and five moves in 4 years. Unsettled, unstable, frenetic, scrambling would probably be the best way to describe the undercurrent of energies I've been feeling for a while.
But moving to Bloomington allowed us to put down some tenuous roots... and they're starting to take hold.
Depression and anxiety have been nipping at my heels for a couple of years and THIS year it finally started to feel like I turned a corner and the clouds were rolling out. I made some new friends locally, was active in our TEDxBloomington organization, and will likely move into a more permanent curator role in the next year or so.
"Life happens every six months" was a lesson I learned from my manager during my days as a financial advisor. He encouraged us to schedule reviews with our clients at least that often, which is part of why I still hold semi-annual review sessions with my community. By the mid-point of 2023, I recognized how important it was for me to really step more confidently into the next version of me.
Lisa: 49.0
A lot of priorities got shifted with Jim's surgery (more on that shortly), and this was no exception. It became my number one priority for the second half of the year: to play big in healthy ways so that I can shine like the star I am and trust the Divine to provide.
Careful what you wish for.
So that showing up and shining part? Yeah. I think I checked that box. The trust part? Um... welll...
I definitely had some great opportunities to shine - My TEDx Talk finally went live on the TED channel, as did my marathon 4-part interview with Rachael Kay Albers about the Internet Marketing Family Tree. Enoughness became a whole thing in the second part of the year. I did several talks and interviews exploring the subject more deeply.
I also had an amazing photoshoot. The talent in this town is uh-may-zing! Jim was my Art Director for the shoot, and we hit up a bunch of locations around town. My stylist, photographer, and hair & make-up artist did a bang-up job of helping me step into this next iteration of me.
They say God doesn't give you more than you can handle. So, in that respect, we came out okay. We're still here. It was a rollercoaster, but we made it. I wish that trust was easier. But trusting the divine (as a goal) almost implies that SOMETHING is gonna happen to test that trust.
Jim was already in the throes of his months-long medical situation when his company decided to start screwing with paychecks. A day late, then a week. Layoffs and firings for seemingly no good reason. Then, while he was out on leave, a company-wide pay and hours cut.
My trust was definitely being tested!
With the help of my coach, my in-laws, and some Divine timing, we made it through. It was stressful, but he was able to tender his own resignation this week. His last day will be the end of the month.
This was my number three goal for the year - to cultivate a supportive community that sees and believes in me - and tells me so. This goal didn't change over the course of the year, but it did shift in priority, from #3 to #2.
While we were on vacation in July, Jim ended up in the hospital. He had some kind of mass on his abdomen that had probably been growing for at least 15 years undetected. It finally decided to make itself known in a big way. The rest of the year, Jim was in and out of the hospital a few times, culminating in major surgery just before Thanksgiving. He's still in recovery as I write this. His health is improving, but he still needs a visiting nurse a couple times a week to care for his wounds.
Yes. "Wounds", plural. They had to cut a few holes in him to fix the issue. But it IS fixed at this point. Now, it's just a matter of continuing on his healing journey.
Once Jim's health became an issue, I got clear that I don't want to move again, at least for a while. We've moved SO many times since we got married, due in part to Jim's work. With his health and work situation getting murkier as the year went on, I realized that staying here meant I needed more local friends and connections. People to go out and DO things with, but also, locals who knew who we are and could become a local community of support since we're so far from all our family.
Our neighbor Gary started mowing the lawn so that we didn't have to. He's got a riding lawnmower, so I think he likes doing it anyway. I'd bake them snacks and he'd mow our lawn. They're an adorable older couple and I'm glad to have them as neighbors.
Look at me! Actually getting to know my neighbors and whatnot!
Jim turned me on to Bumble's BFF app - essentially a dating app for finding friends. He had connected to a couple of guys, one of whom was the station manager for the local NPR station. The guy let it slip that they were looking for a morning show host, and well, let's just say, I saw an opportunity! More on that in a minute.
The app helped me to connect with a couple of new folks, too. We've hung out a few times and it feels like I'm starting to build some connections and make friends, which feels really encouraging after years of social distancing.
I also took a VERY part time job at Torrid in the mall. I certainly didn't do it for the paycheck! My youngest makes more as a high schooler than I do at this job. I get out of the house for a few hours, meet some people, and get the employee discount on anything I want to buy with the money I make. And anything left over goes into our tax account because we're likely to have a pretty big tax bill this year. More on that in a bit.
We also migrated the Rising Tide community off of Facebook and into a private platform. People were finally getting frustrated with Facebook enough to want a different solution. After 2022's website crash, I knew I wanted to pull all my courses off the site and had been looking for a place where both the coursework and the community could live. We settled on Heartbeat (yes, that's my affiliate link), which does both pretty well. We've removed the old LearnDash and Wishlist plugins from the site and migrated everything over there. I even moved all my direct sales training from Direct Sales Classroom. Now everything lives in one place - and I LOVE it. Engagement is higher, new people are finding us and connecting to our community. Most importantly, though, people are using the training and getting the support they need to succeed.
That's the best feeling in the world for someone like me!
Cultivating anything takes time, but cultivating community is a long game. Seeds planted and nurtured this year will hopefully yield fruit for years to come. I'm excited to see what comes of all the new relationships begun in 2023.
I DID NOT HAVE COVID!
Since I started and ended 2022 with the dreaded virus, this was sort of an unspoken goal for myself! In fact, this year was pretty much incident free for me! Which was good because it was apparently Jim's turn this year. In general, I try to set two goals for this Key Area of Success - one for my physical container, the other for what's being held inside that container (my mental, emotional, or other well-being stuff).
My number two goal was to take pride in my body, no matter my shape or size. My other fitness goal - at number 5 - was to rebuild my body for optimal health. For me, this was the balance of "love the body that you're in" and rehab/care for what can be improved.
My heel lift had deteriorated after my spinal surgery in September, 2022. If I stand on one foot and try to get up on my tip toe, I can do it on my left foot, but not my right. This is one of those goals that didn't see much improvement, despite months of physical therapy. I had two rounds of PT last year. It's been frustrating, but I'm still hopeful that there are a few things left we can do in 2024 to turn things around.
Not being able to lift my heel makes dancing a challenge. So my audition for Lizzo's reality show was probably one of the last times this year I actually did much dancing. Heck, just walking for more than a few minutes at a time is progressively more uncomfortable. The longer I walk, the more it hurts. I've tried to not let my physical constraints cause too much disappointment and sadness for me. I've got a lot of good things going on and I'm looking forward to what 2024 has in store.
My mental well-being definitely improved. By mid-year, I changed the verbiage a bit and goal two, which moved to the #3 position, became more about having a happy and healthy outlook in general, and less specifically about my body.
I needed to put more attention on my mind-body connection. We were going THROUGH it last year, and it was easy to feel defeated. When my student loans were finally forgiven after 20 years of repayment (YAY!), I learned that Indiana will tax me on that "income".
Ugh. If we were still in Nashville, we wouldn't have this extra financial burden! I was worrying left and right about how to deal with this new development. On the one hand, getting out from under student loans is a tremendous blessing, but we weren't prepared for a big tax bill. AND I didn't want to be one of those IRS horror stories.
It was easy, especially as Jim's health and work situation started deteriorating, to waffle between panic and worry. RE-focusing on my mental health and mindset helped me see my best path forward. It also helped me create - or in one case, re-create - some healthier habits around caring for my brain and my mental well-being. I was on a waitlist for a therapist all year long because of our insurance. I credit those habits (and my coach) with helping dig me out of the years-long funk I'd been in.
This year began with an admittedly vague goal: Be a wealthy, generous entrepreneur. Part of the task in this goal was trying to figure out exactly what that meant. Thus, it was the lowest priority - Goal #6. By mid-year, I realized that it was less about BE-ING, and more about experiencing. Exploring into what it would be like to live the life of a wealthy, generous entrepreneur. Having experiences that I imagine would come along with being a wealthy, generous entrepreneur. So I shifted the goal wording to reflect having a STAR experience.
Hiring a stylist for the photoshoot was a great first step. Trusting my team to just let me show up and shine during that shoot was a great next step. But I still wasn't clear on how to bring that kind of ease into my life. Ease was my word for the year. By August, life still felt anything but easy!
Enter Jacqueline Gates' STAR Program. Nope. Not an affiliate link. I just believe in her work that much. She uses a brilliant mix of coaching and stagecraft to help you develop and tap into the "character" that is your next future self. I've been an actor and performer for most of my life, and I've taught the "future self" concept to my clients, so I laugh at myself for not making this connection sooner.
Jacqui has a great way of connecting the dots between character development and identity. Working with her helped me embody the changes I wanted to step into. I finally stared to have an experience of ease - even when things were getting increasingly chaotic during the year. In fact, I've said numerous times that this is the most prepared and confident I've ever felt going into the start of a new year. Despite all the things in flux.
This was actually my number one goal for the first half of the year - to feel spaciousness and ease in every way throughout the year. Like I said, "Ease" was my word for the year. I wanted goal achievement and project completion to feel easy and light. I wanted ample space for leisure, vacation, and travel.
That meant really pulling back on things. Frankly, our team was just not up to snuff this year. We started the year with 2 support people, but things just didn't click. We struggled to get good workflows and meet deadlines - even ones that seemed generous. "Stuff" kept coming up. One team member had two deaths in their family within a couple of months.
Things just didn't feel easy. We had to release that team member. The other is my rock, and she has limited capacity, so I'm still actively looking for alternatives to round out our team. That has not gone as well as I'd hoped.
On one hand, it would be easy for my Fusion Creative self to just take back and do all the tasks - because it really is often faster for me to just do it that way. But, this is part of the growing pains of running a growing business. Finding reliable, consistent, quality help within your budget often takes time.
Then, once Jim was hospitalized, my priorities shifted. So at the mid-point of the year, this goal moved down the priority list and morphed into laying the foundation for Jim's retirement in 2025. Still with some sense of ease and spaciousness.
Less travel, more prep for the future.
The funny thing is that once I had THAT kind of clarity, it became a lot easier to see what was important and what needed to be thinned out. We were trying to maintain several social media presences. Even with automation, it wasn't generating the ROI that made it worth the investment. It was taking up too much of our collective time to do everything that wasn't moving the needle - which meant the show kept getting put on the back burner. I spent a good part of the second half of the year working with my assistant to clean up and pare down all the extraneous stuff.
Now, while I may have a "presence" on multiple platforms, it is primarily to reserve that user ID, not to create new channels of communication. This year we'll be focused on Youtube and Instagram. I still have groups and connections on FB that will require my presence, but don't expect to see a lot of activity from me there.
Turns out that my goal was a bit prescient, because Jim had to take 6 weeks off unpaid for his November surgery. We managed to make it through, but we wouldn't have had I not shifted this priority in July. He just tendered his resignation and is deciding on his next steps. We're not quite ready to retire him completely, but with the other big change happening this month, he's got more options and freedom to choose what his next move will be.
I applied for and accepted the position as the Morning Edition host on our local NPR station. It was a months-long interview process. I got the call on my birthday - happy birthday and happy new year to me!
With all the flux at Jim's job, I could feel the anxiety creeping up on both of us. Instead of waiting around to see what might shake out, I did the thing that would take the pressure off Jim to find something right away.
It was actually a bit surreal: applying for a job that I didn't NEED, but thought would be fun. To go into an interview process ready to walk if it didn't feel good isn't an experience I'd ever had before this year. Applying for jobs always came with a sense of desperation and fear. Like they held my life in their hands or something. Both the mall job and this radio station gig are on my terms. And I love it!
Plus, the benefits are amazing. We've almost always had insurance through Jim's work. Now, it's my turn!
And I hear your wheels turning... Yes, technically I'll be working two jobs AND running a business.
But here's what's so great about that: I'm already up at 6am - why not get paid for it? Plus, I'm home in the early afternoon, so it doesn't change anything about how I work with my clients. That was something I made abundantly clear when I interviewed. I'm a business owner. I plan to STAY that way for years to come.
And I have the capacity to do this work. I know not everyone does. And there may come a point where I don't. But for now, I do, so I'm going to ride that wave because it works for us. I've already adjusted my calendar and my offerings to reflect my new availability... and honestly, it isn't a whole lot different than it was before.
This position gives us a huge opportunity to make Jim's transition to retirement happen with more ease and more speed. He can't retire yet - we've got a few goals to hit first - but being the morning show host means that Jim gets to have that same experience of freedom to choose. He doesn't have to walk in to an interview feeling desperate or fearful. He can take some time - without a ton of financial pressure - to find something that suits him.
And we can stay put for a few years! Then, when he's ready to retire, he can work if and when he wants to, not because he HAS to. I've wanted this for him for a couple of years now, and I'm excited to see it coming to fruition!
So yeah, 2023 was a year of big changes, and 2024 has a few already in motion. Inside Creative Freedom HQ, we're getting ready to roll out a new website with updated brand elements - including the images from my recent photoshoot. We closed the Incubator to new clients last fall when I rolled out Intensives. I've raised rates on most of my work and LOWERED the price to join us in the community. I streamlined offers and made it easier for the right people to work with me - something I preach to my clients all the time!
But the thing I'm most excited about our the Star Power Intensives. These private, half-day sessions give me the opportunity to get down-and-dirty in your business like I did in the Incubator, while creating real and lasting results the same day.
Available in mini and half-day formats, I've had the joy of taking several people through their own Star Power Intensives at this point. They've all raved about the level of clarity and efficacy of what we've developed together. Of course, not everyone is a good fit for an intensive, which is why I still offer Next Steps Sessions - to help you figure out your next best move.
Over all, this is a MUCH more streamlined set of offerings, focused on helping you have the reach, the impact, and the respect that comes from being a celebrity in your niche. That's my focus going forward. I want to see more good people in roles of influence in the world. We've had enough of the rocket-launching billionaires taking the spotlight. It's time to shine a light on folks who are doing the work to make a positive impact on this big blue marble.
My word this year is LUXE - luxury, yes, but also "lucks" - luck in many ways. My coach gave me this mantra: I can only win!
It's helped me re-frame a lot of what's been going on in my life as I move into 2024. I've never felt more ready for a year to get going, and this year feels like it's going to be BIG! It's my last year in my 40's. This time next year, I'll be celebrating the big 5-0, and I have plans for it to be pretty freaking spectacular. Let's do this, 2024. I'm ready for you!