Mar 6
The random number generator picked #39.
.
And the 39th person to sign up for my mailing list is Lauren from Hark Industires.
Congratulations, Lauren! I sent you an email earlier so please respond with your address & I’ll get it out ASAP.
And for everyone who signed up this past week (and before 
) thank you SO MUCH! I hope you’ve all enjoyed the ebook and if you’ve been on the list longer than 2 weeks, I hope you’re getting something out of the self-employment questions series.
Feb 26
I have acquired an extra copy of Gary Vaynerchuck’s Crush It and I decided that it would be fun to host a giveaway!
For those of you who don’t know, Gary Vaynerchuck is the really over-the-top guy behind (well, actually, in front of) WineLibrary.tv. Crush It is all about cashing in on your passions, as the sub-title so succinctly says.
It’s a no-nonsense outline of how to get what you love out in the world and make money from it. He doesn’t say it’s easy, in fact he’s a huge fan of what he calls “the hustle,” aka work your ass off. Great read. Not huge on content but really big on what Gary Vaynerchuck’s good at—motivation and excitement.
All you have to do to win your very own copy of Crush It is sign up for my Thrive Creative Coaching mailing list. You’ll not only be entered in the giveaway, but as a thank you for signing up, I’ll send you a free ebook “Five things to do before you kick your day job’s ass to the curb” and a 10-week email series on common self-employment questions for creatives.
If you’re already on the mailing list, then you’re already entered.
I will ship internationally, so don’t worry if you’re not in the USA.
So sign up below! Entries made by NEXT Friday March 5th at 8:00PM EST (and current subscribers) will be eligible.
The fine print: I’ll run a random number generator (Random.org) using the total # of subscribers. The # that gets picked is the winner. The very first subscriber to my list is #1, and the very last subscriber to my list is going to be whatever the total # of subscribers ends up being at 8:00 PM Eastern time on March 5th. Winner will be announced/emailed on Saturday March 6th. If you win, you must reply to my email with your mailing address. If you do not reply within 3 days, I will re-run the random number generator & choose a new winner. I will ship the book USPS media mail in the USA or the cheapest way possible internationally.
Call them conventions, networking events, conferences, festivals, or whatever, they all have a few things in common:
)As an Introvert, all of this can be very overwhelming.
The people, the information, the noise, the constant hand-shaking-card-exchanging-what-do-you-do, the bumping & jostling to walk through the hallways or even get a seat (and being forced to sit with new people after every session). It can take a huge toll on people who get their energy from solitude and quiet and find bubbly social butterflies baffling (and annoying in large doses).
If you’ve been following this blog for any length of time, you’ll know I’m one of them. Too many people make me antsy, tired and eventually cranky. So here’s how I survived—and even enjoyed!—the last event I attended in Fort Lauderdale.
Since I have a tendency to get overloaded and overwhelmed in both intense learning environments & social situations, I needed to pay attention to my cranky-meter. I’m not a nice person to be around when I’ve been too long without a break. If I felt tied in knots or unsettled, I went off by myself for a while.
I took every lunch break and even some between-session breaks to be alone and quiet in the hotel room or took a walk outside (we had a gorgeous pond and golf course behind the hotel) to ground myself. Deep breaths helped too.
I had initially set the goal of handing out every last one of the 100 business cards I brought with me. First day through the event and I had just about reached my new people limit. For the entire event. So I didn’t push myself the next 2 days, and tried to get to know the folks I had met on day one a little better.
Don’t be afraid to leave the room if you’ve reached your limit. Excuse yourself gracefully and move to a quiet spot to collect your thoughts.
I couldn’t resist the infectious enthusiasm and motivation that comes from such an inspirational event, and I felt the need to start on all the things I had learned and knew I needed to do for my business. But my brain was a bowl of noodles. Each night of the event my husband asked what I learned & what I did and all that would come out was “Uhhhh.”
I needed rest. Sunday after the event I parked my arse on the couch with a good book and read in between naps.
And on Monday it all came pouring out of me. I told my husband of the entire weekend, called my mom and told her just about everything, and then started implementing some of the stuff I learned.
I never go anywhere new without a book – one of my favorites that I’ve read countless times. I’ve taken the pillow I use on my bed before, and when I was slightly younger (in my 20’s) I took a stuffed tiger named Moe.
Stretching yourself beyond your introvert safety zone doesn’t have to be painful. Just know yourself and your limits, rest and get quiet as you need to, and you’ll be able to handle just about anything.
photo credit: Joe Shlabotnik
Feb 11
As small biz owners we bootstrap—Do it Yourself—and learn everything from accounting to web design in the hopes of keeping more of the green in the bank. It’s a sane idea on the surface…
And then comes the realization that there isn’t much green coming in but the stuff going out never seems to stop.
And that’s where you can get stuck.
No $ coming in. Lots going out.
Yeah. Not a good business model, eh?
However, the costs of DIY are not only the mountain of un-billable hours, but there’s a huge emotional cost too.
The feeling of spinning your wheels and not getting anywhere is disheartening.
The fact that you’re spending all of your time on administration when you could be spending time on what you’re gifted at—the reason you started your business—is frustrating and crazy-making.
I know. Because I’m in the midst of it myself. Yesterday my brain was so mixed up and confused with details and emails and adminny things that I didn’t get a lick of my real work done. I handled client concerns & a little bit of work that needed to be done but I felt frazzled and I knew I hadn’t accomplished much that day.
That sense of not accomplishing what I set out to do hit me particularly hard, not only because my defenses are worn thin but because I didn’t do my real work.
So I made a promise to myself to get help. And soon. A lawyer, accountant and housekeeper are at the top of my list
If you are stuck in your biz and can’t figure out why you’re not bringing in the money like you should, take a minute to write down everything that you do yourself that isn’t your real work.
Shocking. Isn’t it?
You know you can’t go on like this right? Burnout comes quickly to those who are out of alignment with their purpose. And I’m pretty sure that you’re not really meant to do some of those things on that list.
I challenge you to pick one thing off that list and find a way to delegate it to someone else. Beg, borrow or barter if that’s your thing. (More on bartering later…)
And remember that you are your business’ greatest asset. If you’re tied up doing everything but your real work, then you’re depriving yourself of income and the world of your awesomeness.
I’d love to know what you’re thinking of delegating. Leave your mark below.
If you need help with your creative business or are itching to start one but don’t know where to begin, head over to Thrive Creative Coaching where I help creatives make more art, make more money and kick lots of ass in the process.
Jan 21
Pardon me, I’m going to be extremely girly and squee… then dance & cavort and celebrate…
SQUEE!
I was interviewed by two awesome chicks at 2 Chicks At Home for their 2Chicks Seal of Approval – as the first recipient.
Yolanda bought a journal not too long ago and she even made a video of the unboxing!
She either has way too much time on her hands or she really likes the packaging…
Anyway, go to the 2 Chicks site & read the interview. Then stay there & read the rest of the site. They’re 2 amazing chicks with lots of insight for the home-based working crowd.
I was warned about it.
I was told it would come, and my reaction would be monumentally important to my baby business.
And it came yesterday…
It’s still a bit difficult to process. I’ve been working steadily at my business for the past 3 months since I started that business makeover mastery program* and I know have made TONS of progress. Read the rest of this entry »
