You are not for sale
It’s a hazard of my job that I spend a lot of time looking for specific examples of strange things on social media. It doesn’t take long to find them. Scrolling past image after image of an influencer holding this product and that, wearing this outfit and that one,...
The beauty of shitty first drafts
I pose a creative question to the group, set the timer, and go. What happens next is both revealing and heartbreaking. Some participants dive in and start writing. Others ask clarifying questions before they’re confident to get started. Others freeze, overcome by...
How to become the go-to expert in your field
She was a speaker at a conference, where we met. She had been given the most inhospitable speaking spot when most conference delegates were still waking up, or busy making connections over breakfast. She had decades of experience and was accompanied by a few of her...
How to outsource and delegate like a boss
Everybody dreams of a unicorn – a special somebody with broad business expertise, excellent communication skills, an utter delight to deal with, who’s cheap to boot! This person may come to you, so they can also give you a back rub and fetch your coffee order. Or...
From overwhelmed to clear and intentional
Sometime in April 2020, I’d be crowded in bed with my clients’ voices in my head. Every night, I’d consciously draw a circle around myself to stop business owner dilemmas following me into my dreams. Since everything changed with the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020,...
The surprising truth about growing your business
Trust me, I’m lying when I tell you that having your own business is super good fun, all of the time. But #blessed #lyfegoals #winning reign supreme, so I’m morally obligated to counter the prevalent propaganda with some hard home truths. While growing your business...
New yoga studio weathers Covid storm
Charmaine Cowling had just opened a Yoga studio on the Sunshine Coast in November 2019 and things were going well. Then Covid came along. “Do you know you’re closed tomorrow from midday?” Charmaine’s husband asked her, after watching the news. “We didn’t sleep much...
How to prioritise your time when you have none
Little scraps of time captured on a paper pad next to my computer is how I recorded my paid client work when my children and business were young. Invoicing clients involved adding up 10 minutes plus five minutes plus 15 minutes. Oh! The things I could get done in 20...
Getting clients to commit to your program, package or membership
At the end of our fourth meeting, I finally plucked up the courage to say, “we can’t keep meeting like this. I’ll need to be paid for my time.” To which the business owner responded, “but we’re finally getting somewhere!” She didn’t appear to be embarrassed. But I was...
How to use blogging to get more leads
Google has been good to me lately. The impact of Covid-19 means more people online, and more businesses prioritising digital marketing and online sales training. A journalist found me and featured me talking about starting a business during Covid, I’ve had new...
Everyday rituals and habits that help grow my business
My family calls me lazy. My partner teases me for being disorganised, but then again he would, because he’s one of those annoying over-organised, super productive people, who manages grocery shopping, cooking, laundry and will soon be taking charge of home schooling,...
How to thrive in business during a global recession
I’ve decided to opt-out of the global recession. I’ve considered it, and I’m not participating. I’m happy to report that I’m not alone and that, so far, it’s going well. I invite you to join me! We won’t be a popular gang. People won’t appreciate our joy. They won’t...