The ONE question you can ask yourself is a game changer.

This was one of those questions that brought massive clarity in the span of about 1 minute. We’re going to get into that in a minute, but let’s do a quick catch-up and recap from last week.

First, if you missed last week’s episode, I officially announced my first-ever Women’s Business Retreat in Costa Rica!

The IGNITE Mastermind is happening this October 24th – the 28th. My dear friend and amazing branding expert, Liz Weaver, is co-hosting this with me.

We’re just now getting around to promoting the event, but we only have four spots left, so if you’re interested, be sure to head over to IgniteMastermindCR.com for all the details. This is the lowest price this event will ever be. We’ve set this up as an all-inclusive event (food, lodging, airport transportation, retreat workshop, and a catamaran sunset cruise). All you need to do is get yourself there!

We’ve even hired a professional photographer so you can get some gorgeous headshots in this amazing location (a luxury beachfront home).

Click here to learn more about the IGNITE Costa Rica retreat.

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Is it me, or does it feel like this summer has completely flown by?

Maybe it’s because it was so cold when I moved back in February that winter felt like it was never-ending. Now that we have warm weather and longer nights, it feels like it’s going to be time for all the pumpkin spice everything.

Mind you, I’ve missed fall the last couple of years in Costa Rica, and I am one of those nutty pumpkin people, so I’m looking forward to enjoying all the coziness that fall brings.

Halloween decorations and candy are showing up in stores already.

When I was younger, I loved seeing this (I mean as a young adult, not a child). Maybe it was because it was forced on me by being in retail for so long.

By mid-August, I was already getting pumpkin-spiced candles for the house.

The older I get, the faster time seems to be moving, so I’m not in a rush to have seasons come and go too quickly anymore (although I’ll probably be ready for summer by the end of January, haha).

Every month of the summer feels like it’s been a little busier than I’m used to (or at least what I remember). Being back in California with family has been wonderful, but it also means my calendar is a little fuller.

When I start feeling a little squeezed, I remind myself that I always get everything done.

My goal is always to stay present and focused.

When I keep things simple (my three things), I always complete them, do better work, and enjoy my day more. Novel idea, isn’t it?

Sometimes this is harder than others, but oddly enough, I find that slowing down helps me do this. The more I try to squeeze into a day, the faster the day goes.

My challenge to you as we wind down the rest of 2023 is to choose to be present.

To quote Maya Angelou:

If you must look back, do so forgivingly. If you must look forward, do so prayerfully. However, the wisest thing you can do is be present in the present. Gratefully.

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Moving on.

The ONE Question to Ask Yourself

I heard this in a video I was watching (yes, Ben Hardy), which was posed by Gary Keller of Keller Williams Real Estate in the United States (one of the biggest real estate brokers in the US).

Here’s the question:

“What is the one thing, if accomplished, that makes everything else you’re trying to do either easier or unnecessary?” 🤯

I knew immediately what that one thing was for me.

The community I’m launching in September.

I’ve talked a lot about simplifying my business recently, and the community is part of that.

I know there will be times when I feel like hosting a workshop or doing a collaboration of some sort, but the foundation for my business will be:

Community ==> Group Coaching ==> Retreats

That’s it.

The community is called “The SPARK Collective.

I played around with a bunch of different names and ideas, but at the end of the day, this resonated most with me. I love the idea of keeping the name in line with my newsletter, and the word collective was perfect.

Here are the definitions of a collective:

The SPARK Collective came about because it’s TIME.

This is one of those things that fits “Nothing is more powerful than an idea whose time has come” (thank you, Victor Hugo, for that quote).

Once I decided to double down and focus on women, I realized something was missing in the marketing space.

So I’ve decided to create it.

Here’s what the SPARK Collective is all about (this is taken directly from the sales page, because why reinvent the wheel):

The thriving community for forward-thinking female founders seeking collaborations that catalyze success.

It’s time for women to amplify each other in a

male-dominated space.

– Brainstorm with a circle of fellow phenom females across industries

– Receive introductions to potential partners, affiliates, or sponsors

– Get matched with niche newsletters or podcasts for highly-targeted swaps

– Collaborate on game-changing joint ventures and partnerships

– Gain visibility through community spotlights and features

– Plug into an energizing space where women lift each other up

– Access workshops and training on reaching the next level

– Forge friendships and community with like-minded women

– Share your wins and challenges in a space built on support

– And so much more – this sisterhood sparks limitless opportunities!

Click the button below to get the inside scoop on this one-of-a-kind community where high-achieving women connect across industries to cultivate an energizing space for collaboration.

As a founding member, you’ll help shape the SPARK Collective and be ready to hit the ground running when we launch, making connections to ignite your entrepreneurial journey.

WOOHOO!

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My plan right now is to keep this as simple as possible.

I’ll be hosting one live workshop a month, and we’ll send out a weekly newsletter to members only with a recap of opportunities within the community.

I have other plans for my own personal involvement, but I’m starting with the minimum viable for the launch. I’ll launch this with a paid workshop ($10) and an initial offer.

You’ll hear more about this as it gets closer, but this is it.

This is the ONE thing that, if accomplished, makes everything else I’m doing easier or unnecessary.

How much easier do you think it will be to have ONE thing that is my primary focus for creating content and driving traffic? (Obviously, I still have my other brand, but we’re simplifying that also. I’ll save that for another podcast episode).

Instead of pulling myself in different directions, I create a process, implement it, and measure what’s working.

Because I’m focusing on implementing paid traffic as a consistent part of my business, I’ll be able to measure how well the initial webinar converts, get feedback on the offer and tweak things to improve.

I don’t have to recreate the wheel.

Instead, I focus on improving the wheel.

Once it’s running like a well-oiled machine, then I implement a new machine.

In this case, an evergreen model.

Followed by an additional paid traffic source (YouTube).

Here are some of the benefits of focusing on this ONE thing:

• While it’s new & growing, I don’t have to create a “new” launch all the time. I focus on improving the previous launch.
• I’m not starting from scratch.
• I’ll have a community that will tell me what they want, what was helpful, what they don’t need, etc. Asking for feedback (provided you take action on the feedback) is invaluable.
• Mastering new skills that I can apply across the board in my businesses. For example, the better I get at paid traffic, the more opportunities I can create for lead generation (and this is for both businesses).
• My energy isn’t split.
• Focusing and fostering the community creates better relationships (for both myself and members).

What this makes easier or unnecessary:

• It makes my ‘everyday’ day that much easier. Fewer distractions, consistent KPIs to measure, and knowing exactly what needs attention as I head into my week.
• I don’t always need to “come up with” new ideas (the perpetual new product idea… guilty as charged).
• Where to spend my money in my business becomes more streamlined. Support (team) and paid traffic. Pretty easy, right?
• I can say no to a lot more. I’ve already decided I’m not doing any more summits (unless it’s a good friend), so I can say no to more ‘opportunities’ that don’t feel in alignment (this is also happening just because of where I’m at in my business and life).

I heard a great quote the other day, and I apologize, but I don’t remember who said it or where I heard it (may have been on Tiffany Carter’s ProjectME Podcast). It speaks directly to how things look when we have a BIG goal (target).

I’m paraphrasing here, but it was something along the lines of “the further the target is you want to hit, the further you need to pull back your bow in order to release your arrow.”

I totally botched that, but you get it.

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If you were an archer and you wanted to hit a target 100 yards away, you’d really have to have the strength to pull your bow back as far as you could, so your arrow had a lot more pressure behind it before you released it.

This isn’t to say that you need to put more pressure on yourself, but sometimes you need to take a significant step back in order to move forward with the momentum you need to hit your target.

I feel like I’ve spent the last year doing that.

And I can honestly say that I believe that everything I’ve done over the last 15.5 years has brought me to this moment.

The first Facebook group I had (The Women of Internet Marketing), the movie I did where I interviewed 15 other female entrepreneurs (think it was 15?), and all the work in between.

I was interviewed on a podcast this morning and talked about the different directions I’ve taken in my business over the years. The interviewer referred to me as being ‘multi-passionate.’

In some ways, this is true, but really it was more about finding what was right for me.

I spent ten years as The WPChick, then pivoted to my personal brand.

From there, I’ve focused on content marketing and email/newsletters.

It’s not like I pivoted to selling dog toys.

Everything I’ve done has been under the umbrella of digital marketing; it just took me a while to find my own niche within the space.

I just had no idea that it would start with the who rather than the what (serving women).

My hope for you with your own business is that you take the time to really think about this question for yourself.

Some of you may have the answer come to you right away as it did for me (although, in some ways, I think it’s been the culmination of the last 15.5 years that created the clarity). For others, it’s going to be a process.

And that’s OK.

Give yourself some grace with this.

And start with the end in mind.

Be crystal clear about what you want your life to look and feel like, then work your way backward.

You might surprise yourself.