Value Yourself, Value Your Business!

Source: Pixabay

I can’t believe how long it’s been since I posted here. I never imagined being this busy and caught up with trying to get other things done. But more on that later, right now I’d like to get to today’s topic!

I attended one of my networking meetings today. I’ve discussed the importance/necessity of networking groups in the past, so I’ll just reiterate briefly how they are VITAL in the world of solopreneurship. Being around people with similar goals and visions pays off immensely. I’ve been in this particular group for at least a year now and it’s consisted of the same group of people for the most part, so they’ve seen me from day one of hardly having an elevator pitch, to the more established business woman I am today. We asked ourselves and each other a very tough question – “what would you like to see me do more of, given how far I’ve come this past year?” I honestly wasn’t ready for the responses, but here they were in a nutshell (I’m giving you their titles instead of their names):

Social Media Strategist’s advice – formalize your packages more and charge more because that’s what you’re worth!

Health/Wellness Consultant – Show up to more meetings to use your voice more!

College coach/consultant – Put yourself out there more often because you have a rare magnetism that very few people carry!

Wow. I was floored – in a good way of course. I didn’t realize how much these colleagues were paying attention to me and my work. I’ve worked with some of them for client work in the past which caused for a closer relationship, but still – wow!

This made me take a closer look at myself and realize how my personal value has a direct impact on the success of my business. Starting, I naturally made mistakes that I eventually learned from and have applied new changes since then. For example, I had a habit of being empathetic towards potential clients when it came to pricing. I would actually price according to what I thought they could afford and the size of their business so that I wouldn’t lose them. Big mistake. I have flat fees now no matter what. There are people out there who will pay what I charge because they know the quality of my work and they will get what they pay for and be satisfied. So witht hat powerful feedback I received today, I plan on doing the following:

• Increase my social media presence. I’ve made excellent connections offline, but I know great connections await me online. In fact, I recently experimented with Periscope! It’s awesome! I will definitely post on that in the near future!
• Voice my opinion more in meetings and events. I’m so used to writing everything and observing, that I won’t actually say much for a while. Some people don’t get that part about me. I like to sit in the background and observe. Well as the clientele and vision continues to grow, I have to become more vocal. I realize people love listening to what I say. But that’s not the main reason. I also realize that what I have to say can help folks and make a difference for them.
• I will no longer be doing individual pricing, or charging a la carte. It is the one of the worst moves a freelance writer can make. I’ve seen the work of notably successful writers and know that my work is just as good or better! Why not charge accordingly? There will be packaged pricing from now on instead of charging for a blog article here and there.

Will these strategies help my business grow? Stay tuned and find out!

It’s Harvest Time

And just like that, summer’s gone and the cold months are about to set in (this entire year has flown by like nothing). In order to get ready for the winter, now is the time to reap the crops that have matured the past few months. There will be no worries in the cold months because there’s a serious stash of food – all because the past few months were used to cultivate and grow food.

Besides the fact that time flies, it’s important to cultivate properly and bring in a good harvest. Are you looking for something to happen in a specific area of your life, such as a career move or starting a special relationship with someone? What steps have you taken to make it happen? A lot of times, we do more expecting than working. The season comes and goes without any fruit to pick, and we end up frustrated. You can break that cycle immediately and get to work. As I mentioned before, there were a lot of moves I had to make to get my promotion. It wasn’t easy by any means, but I knew what I wanted and it just had to be done. It can be difficult to get out of the area of wanting and to step over into the realm of WORK. It’s difficult to tend that soil in the beginning, but in the end it all pays off.

Self-discipline

This is a constant battle many of us fight. The war within, the fight against oneself to do or be better. It’s never an easy task but it has to be done. I rage in this war all the time; whether it’s staying fit, blogging (!), being productive on the job or keeping myself in a good head space. I’m always reminded of where I’m aiming to go and the plan I have to get there. So here’s the thing: what do you actually want? That’s the first thing that needs to be established. From that point, you’ll know how to pace yourself. Self-discipline is no walk in the park, but there are days when you’re simply not feeling it, and that’s fine. Everyone is allowed a down day every now and then. In fact, they’re necessary to remind you of the goal you’re working towards because eventually you’ll have to pick up working where you left off. Are you the planning type? Be sure to invest a certain amount of time towards this goal each and every day – no matter how long or short that time may be! If there was a shorter, easier way around it, I would share it but there simply isn’t. There has to be focus and dedication involved.

Reap the Harvest!

I’ve read countless stories on writers and bloggers who put in years of hard work and are now enjoying the fruits of their labor. It’s the sweetest thing to sit back and watch things work for you after so much hard work has been put in. But the journey to get there is never easy. There’s a lot of lessons to learn, and a few heartbreaks may even be involved, but at the end, it will all be worth it.

Our Uniqueness as Writers

Source: New3Creation photos

Everyone has a different voice, but now everyone realizes that for themselves. Some of us are quick to click around on other sites to see how others write and format their blogs. Nothing wrong with that, but it’s important to do that only ifyou’re trying to develop your own style. During this writing journey, I’m learning more and more about my writing voice I have and the things I can do with it. That’s one way blogging is so beneficial. It exercises the writing muscles as the unique voice develops. Time and time again I’ve seen blogs become successful because the writer chose to be themselves. It may not have happened overnight, but after years of developing and being themselves, an audience that appreciates their voice started to grow and the benefits increased for the writer/blogger. It’s very encouraging to see this happening as I develop my own voice. It helps me to know that I’m on the right track.

Keep Going

Although I’ve seen many writers become successful because of their unique voice, I’ve also seen blogs fail because the writer gave up posting for whatever reason. This is a lot easier said than done, but I’m learning to keep going and discipline myself to be consistent. As a result, it’s become somewhat easier to finish out ideas that were started and to express myself better. Not too long after that, the confidence level starts to grown and I have the guts to start reaching out and networking effectively (yes, there will be a post on that!).

Check Me Out

In addition to my recent guest blog stint, I’ve had other opportunities come my way. It’s very encouraging as far as other outlets coming my way. Not only do I have a lot to say, I have my own unique way of writing about it.

An article of mine was recently posted on P.E.R.K Consulting, an empowerment blog for organizations. It’s a small start, but a big deal for me in my writing journey. I’m also working on another gig that came my way just last week as a contributing writer! Once that’s done, I’ll be sure to post those links as well. Again, not holding back on my own way of writing is what will open doors for me. The same can happen for you, if it hasn’t happened already!

 

What do you think? Are you a new writer trying to find your own voice? I’d love to hear about your experience as a writer and blogger.

Feel free to share opportunities that have come your way.

It’s Not Enough to Just be Alive

Don’t just exist – live.

I don’t know if that saying comes from someone else, but I’m claiming it as my own quote! Copyright!

Alright, on a serious note, a lot of us have been taught to thank God for another day, or that it’s a miracle to be alive another day…if that isn’t a lie, then I don’t know what is. Furthermore if that’s what’s considered a miracle of God, then the standards of what God can do for one’s life is pretty pathetic. I will expound on that in a later post. Right now I want to focus on the fact that a lot of folks are just looking at survival. Very little thought is actually given towards living. I realized this for myself not too long ago and I’m still learning now.

Don’t wait for everything to be perfect

If that’s the case, you’ll stay waiting because things will never be perfect. You can go out on a limb today if you want to. Get out of the comfort zone and do something different. I used to be scared to go places by myself because I was worried about what people would say about me. Now, I could care less. That decision alone has brought new ideas and revelations for my betterment. All because I decided to step out and go walk by the harbor by myself.

Make a decision

You’ve probably read and heard many things about living successfully and making changes. Well, nothing is going to happen if you don’t make a decision. Once you make your mind that you want to live and not just exist, the first thing you have to tackle is your mindset. So many harmful things have been programmed in us – from our own doing and from others. You will actually have to let go of certain beliefs and fears in order to make progress. If not you’ll be stuck at square one with a lot of regrets.

Okay so you’ve got the survival skills down…start living so you won’t have that confused and dazed look on your face.

Are you afraid of living?

At some point, please ask yourself that question if you haven’t already. We get very comfortable in living paycheck to paycheck or by being reactive instead of proactive. When it comes to living a better life we’re afraid to step out because of the changes that come. Don’t let situations or emotional occurrences make the decision for you. They can serve as a guide up to a certain point, but use your mind and determine what direction is best for you to do more than just exist.

Many times when we overcome or survive a touch situation, we get stuck in survival mode. That’s when the victim mentality creeps in and takes over. Everything goes downhill from there. Victims can NEVER live. Once they decide to stop being victims, then they can live.

Don’t Just Talk About it, BE About it!

There’s nothing more annoying than people who just talk about doing something all the time but never get around to doing it. Either they can’t (or won’t) make up their mind or they just want to blow steam…or maybe they just like hearing themselves talk.

Do something already!

On a personal note, I’m currently going through career changes for the better. For almost two years I’ve been dissatisfied with my work situation for different reasons. Simply put, I was not happy and was exploring what options were out there for me. I would vent to friends and co-workers about it, but they would just dismiss it as me whining or complaining. Nonetheless, I took the steps I needed to take to change things. Now that those changes are taking place, I’m moving on in my career and they’re floored and frankly, I don’t understand why. I wasn’t just running my mouth when I expressed what I wanted; I was also working on it. I guess they didn’t connect the two. They got the message now!

My whole point is, if you have a vision action needs to be taken at some point. When I decided to start writing/blogging, it came after a fair amount of debating and thinking. I stalled for a little bit but I eventually jumped on my laptop and got to work. It’s actually been a relief for me now that I’ve finally started writing again.

Have you been debating or struggling to initiate something that you’ve been meaning to work on? Please don’t let the time continue to pass. The moment you start being about it, there will be relief and you will feel good about yourself.