when it comes to marketing, do you ever feel like you’re throwing spaghetti at a wall, hoping something will stick? chasing all of the new trends and shiny objects? not sure where to put your money and effort which leads to scattered action or no action at all?

 

i’ve made pretty much all of the mistakes one can make over the last 14 years of my entrepreneurial journey and rather than regale you with them, i reached out to my friend and marketing expert margo aaron, founder of that seems important, a site that explores the intersection of marketing, psychology, and entrepreneurship (because she herself is an expert in each of these arenas).

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outcomes > hours. i hope to be able to convince you of this by the end of this email.

 

why? because if you’re looking to create more reliable revenue in your business, this question from abby (and my subsequent reply) will offer some insights for you:

 

“i've recently become an independent contractor (just over a year ago) and have been trading time for money...now i'm at a point where i'd like to increase my impact and income, and i am stuck on how to deliver this in a different model. how do i move to more of a contract-based model (with the added complication of not having a set of services, but my work right now is more about doing what is necessary/needed).” - abby h

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if you’ve ever created something and then hesitated to promote it because you didn’t want to come off as it being all about you….then today’s question from todd will resonate and my response will have some insights for you

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have you ever entered a physical or virtual space and held back because you were thinking: 

1. i have nothing to offer in this environment.

2. who am i to be here?

3. is there a cost to showing up as myself?

4. i’m in a period of transition and i don’t know how to introduce myself.

5. how do i make real, meaningful connections with the people i’m meeting?

if so, you’re far from alone. in fact, my podcast co-host, kimberlin bolton, and i have a very candid conversation about her feelings about this while she was in a marked period of career and identity transition.

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today’s question from asa in sweden may not pertain to you directly, but i have a hunch that whether or not you plan to shut down your company, there’s learning in this lesson for you, too. she asks: 

“i have decided to shut down my life coaching business (after 5.5 years) and focus my efforts on my passion project. i started a podcast and am enjoying the process and learning more and meeting new cool people who have opted out of the rat race and sharing my journey and learning from others. i know you have shut several businesses down in the past and i guess my question is how do i do this?”

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like it or not, your reputation matters. why? because people are tied to the opportunities you're seeking (and those about which you don't even know exist but are available to you).

 

i want you to have (or keep) a reputation that speaks for you and opens doors on which you didn’t have to knock (without succumbing to perfectionism, people-pleasing, self-flagellation, or anything else that feels out of character or authenticity for you).

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being an entrepreneur is synonymous with being financially unstable at times. while you’re growing your company, it’s important to be focused. but what if you could get a side hustle that would help bring in a healthy secondary income to alleviate some of that financial stress? and, best case, what if this side hustle could also help you grow your core business?

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psst– i want to let you in on two little secrets:

1. if you ever feel like you’re alone on an island with your thoughts and not sure what to do with them all… you are, in fact, far from alone.

2. we are all inprocess, perpetually learning and growing. we’ll change our minds and grow and outgrow things we believe and think (hopefully okay (more often than not) with not being perfect along the way).

because of that, i wanted to co-create a space to honor this and share some behind-the-scenes of what i’m processing, in hopes that it will be of service to you and your growth, too. so…drumroll please….

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in december, i invited you to share questions you’d like for me to cover/answer in upcoming emails and instagram posts. today’s question comes from mollye who asks:

 “how do you recommend planning for the upcoming year? setting monthly goals? mixing personal and professional goals each week? creating quarterly profit marks? i'm new to goal planning and i want to get great at it.”

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calling all my fellow (and aspiring) bookworms! if you’re looking for some great new reads, look no further… 

after devouring 60 books in 2022 (i think that’s a record for me), i’ve whittled them down to my top 14 to help you find something you’ll love and that will support your growth this year.

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the entrepreneurial journey is ripe with experiences that make you uncomfortable and, at times, even embarrassed. here's an idea to lean into this with intention: bring your team (or just yourself) to an improv comedy class. seriously! i've taken a couple of these, and each time i walk away, i recognize some key correlations between the improv stage and my business.

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as part of my ongoing intention to serve you well and honor your invitation into your inbox, i’d love to know how i can help you specifically.

do you have a question with which i can assist? perhaps something that would support you in creating the time and financial freedom you need to create success on your own terms? or anything related to my core philosophy to help you design your life, build a business to fund it, and a network to support it?

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conventional wisdom tells us not to go into business with friends or family. i’ve done both and could argue both the pros and cons for you because ultimately, every relationship and situation is different, and there is not a one-size-fits-all answer.

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if you’re ever feeling stuck or lost, today’s tips are for you.

in this 3+ minute video, i share a story about what happened for me when i paired intention and action with curiosity and looseness about how things unfolded.

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i started my first business at the ripe old age of 25. the upside to my youthful naivete was that i was strongheaded enough to think i could do it. that is to dive headfirst into the payment-processing industry, a crowded, competitive and shady arena.

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have you ever received a compliment that once would have made you puff up with pride, but now feels like an ill-fitting shoe?

i recently caught up with a group of people with whom i was in a networking group about eight years ago. while in a conversation, one of my former colleagues off-handedly said to me, “you were one of the most hardworking people i knew back then.”

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you have your sights set on getting in touch with this specific person. you are certain that even a short conversation will unlock a world of potential and possibilities for you both. but either you’ve refrained from reaching out because you’ve already decided they won’t answer, or you’ve tried and struck out, getting no reply.

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if you've ever thought, “it would be great to get what i'm working on featured in the press” and then were met with crickets when you tried to pitch or didn't go beyond the thought because you weren't sure how to make that happen, then let me share something with you:

press hits can be a great way to get your name out there as well as to build your credibility.⁣

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not all relationships are meant to last forever and that includes clients and professional collaborators.

i got this question in my dms on instagram and wanted to share some feedback since she won’t be the first, or the last, person to run into some challenges in this arena

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“what do you see as the key differentiators between those who achieve their goals and those who don’t?”.

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