Telling Your StoriesWhen Content Becomes Personal: My Journey Through StorytellingI’m thrilled to dive deep into a topic that’s close to my heart and crucial for creators, coaches, and course creators everywhere: the power of personal storytelling in content creation.In the world of copy and content, there’s a prevailing notion that it’s all about the reader, not about us, the creators.But let’s face it, that’s only half the story.The truth is, we’re in the business of connection, of building relationships with our audience through the stories we share, the experiences we recount, and the vulnerabilities we expose.I’ve Always Believed In The Magnetic Pull Of Personal Stories.They’re the threads that weave the fabric of our connections, making our audience feel seen, heard, and understood. That’s why I’ve anchored my content creation around a core content value: making people feel better for having engaged with my content.Whether through learning something new, enjoying a moment of levity, or feeling a heart-to-heart connection, it’s about enriching the lives of those who stumble upon my work.Take, for example, my journey through one of life’s harshest realities: loss.In 2003, life threw me a curveball that would forever change my trajectory. I was widowed at 32, left to navigate the world as a single mother of two small children (my kids were 6 & 2 when their Dad died).This part of my story, a marker of my resilience and transformation, was something I initially kept close to my chest, mentioned briefly on my About page, yet it was a pivotal chapter in my life.It wasn’t until 2017, on the anniversary of my husband’s death, that I chose to share this deeply personal story with my audience in an email titled “In Loving Memory and a Personal Message of Hope.”The outpouring of responses was overwhelming, a testament to the power of vulnerability in forging deeper connections. This experience taught me a valuable lesson: our stories, no matter how often we’ve shared them, are always new to someone in our audience.They Provide Hope And Remind Us That We’re Not Alone In Our Struggles.But sharing personal stories is not about airing every detail of our lives; it’s about finding the balance between personal and private. It’s about sharing those moments that illuminate our humanity, that make us relatable, that show we’re more alike than we are different.For instance, a seemingly trivial incident like falling down the stairs while distracted by my phone became a metaphor for the importance of staying present, of paying attention to what’s right in front of us.The ‘falling-down-the-stairs’ story I shared with my audience wasn’t just a humorous anecdote; it was a reflection on mindfulness in both life and business.You might be wondering, what was the whole point of that email?Sure, there was a pivot and a call to action—though I can’t quite recall what it was, whether it was to click through to a podcast, a blog post, or an offer. The real value, however, lies in the fact that we’re all human.I don’t take myself too seriously, and that aspect of my personality makes me more relatable and approachable.Sharing personal stories and experiences is invaluable because, like many of you, I find myself far more creative when I’m inspired or feel a genuine connection. While keyword-based articles, how-to guides, and case studies certainly have their place in content creation—a place that’s not disappearing anytime soon—I believe their presentation will evolve with AI.It’s crucial to remember that you are the differentiator in everything you create.Your energy, your voice, your humor, and even your highs and lows are all uniquely yours. Dr. Seuss said it best: “No one is You-er than You.” This is precisely why sharing personal stories and experiences is so important.This post, part of a five-part series, originally began as an email series before I turned it into blog content and now video content. I discuss how to weave stories into learning content, using my experience at Funnel Hacking Live 2018 as an example. It was the last time I attended the event, and likely my last, but I shared my experiences and two significant epiphanies I had. Despite not using ClickFunnels anymore and having a love-hate relationship with it, the key takeaway is my willingness to share both my successes and failures. This transparency makes me more relatable in a world obsessed with highlight reels.I’ve also shared stories that may seem trivial but are deeply relatable, like feeling exhausted at large events, which is a sentiment many share. Sharing your stories is crucial, and to help you get started, I challenge you to come up with three content ideas: share a heartfelt story about overcoming a challenge, something funny that reminds people not to take life too seriously, and a case study or recap of an event, webinar, or book that impacted you.More than anything, it’s vital to give your content a chance to succeed by promoting it. When I started, I didn’t worry about what people thought because I was learning and growing. This ‘ignorance is bliss’ approach allowed me to dive in without fear. As you grow in your craft, remember to share your stories. They are what will set you apart in a world filled with AI and uniformity. And please avoid relying solely on templates. Learn to write well for the web, and study frameworks and best practices because those will truly help your business stand out.That wraps up this video on the importance of storytelling in content. Keep an eye out for the next part of “Everything is Content,” where I’ll delve into the concept of the value deposit. For those interested in diving deeper, I’m hosting a live workshop on March 6th at 11 AM Pacific Time. You can register at my website, and if you can’t make it live, a recorded version will be available for purchase, or you can sign up for the next live session. I’m committed to running this workshop repeatedly to gather the data I need to understand where most people get stuck with their content creation.Thank you for tuning in, and I look forward to sharing more insights in part three tomorrow.

Hey, guys. What's going on before we get into today's episode? This is a special series that I'm doing this week. It's a 5 part series based on Everything is Content. Now you might remember, I don't know, a month and a half ago, 6 episodes or so ago, I did an episode on Everything is Content 2.0. And I'll link to that in the show notes for this. But I'm actually hosting an Everything is Content workshop, and so this is kind of a preview for that. This was a 5 part email series that I have since turned into videos, and now I'm doing this as a podcast. So you'll get a taste of the 5 part framework.I know this sounds a little meta, and we're getting a little into the matrix here, but I watch how I do this, but this is a taste of the framework itself. And again, you can go to kimdoyal.com/eicworkshop if you wanna join me in the live workshop I'm doing. It is on Wednesday, March 6th. So, depending on when you're listening to this, if if that date has come and gone, then I'm gonna be continuing to either do this live or you'll be able to just get the workshop itself. Again, go to kimdoyal.com/eicworkshop. Alright, now here is part 1 of Everything is Content. Hey there. It's Kim Doyal, and welcome to my show where digital marketing meets real stories, experiences, and strategies.You'll get a behind-the-scenes look at what's working and not working in my business, as well as other experts who show up and share their stories. As much as I love talking about tangible marketing principles and tactics, we'll dig a little deeper with the mindset and explore what's required to create a business you love on your terms that also supports your life. I wanna help you understand the why behind the how. Whether you're a seasoned marketer or just dipping your toes in, remember that marketing is a journey, and the goal is to enjoy it. My desire is to guide you on your journey and remind you that no matter what life throws at you, you've got this. Hey, guys. What's up? Kim Doyal here, and I'm doing a 5 part series called Everything is Content. Now, I came up with the hashtag Everything is Content back in 2016.I'm not going to repeat that whole story here. Still, if you want a little more behind-the-scenes of how that came about, I did a whole podcast episode recently, and it was Everything is Content 2.0, which is an easy guide to getting started, you know, got to use those, what you call it, good headlines, right? But this is all based on a 5 part email series where I'm giving actual examples of everything as content to show you how you can apply this to your own business and how it can translate into conversions, whether that's leads or sales. Now, we're going to go a little bit deeper with this. I'm also working on an ebook that I hope should be done within a month or so. I might do an audio version because I clearly love doing this, but these are what I do with this, so let me back up a little bit. So, Everything is Content is based on the idea that I'm one who I hate keyword research. I know there's value in SEO. I'm not negating that at all, but with AI, I feel like that's kind of a race to the bottom, and who knows where it's going to be a year from now? But my whole goal with Everything is Content is to get people just to start creating, right? And seeing that there are content ideas all around us that fit under this umbrella in our business.You don't need to only talk about email marketing or for me, email marketing or content marketing. Right? Or I love using AI for content, but not necessarily to write for me. There's a whole other marketing element that I use it for. But sometimes I want to talk about, hey, guess what? I'm moving back to Costa Rica. I am. Or, you know what? This is what I do when I feel out of alignment. Or, this is how I ground myself each day. So, all of those are under the umbrella of who I am in my business.That's where everything is content comes into play. All of our experiences are what contribute to who we are and how we move through the world. Right? So let's get into it. Alright. So, the first example I will give you is connecting through vulnerability. And this is when you're frustrated and you need clarity to get moving. Okay? And there's a lot of advice. Gary Vee made the phrase document, don't create, very famous, or you've heard the term building in public.And I have a good friend, Kevon Cheung, who created a cohort, and he's great at that and about building in public. And but sometimes when you're in the thick of things in your business and what you're doing isn't pretty or something you want to share, you don't necessarily want to document that, nor I'm not saying, like, the build-in public, I prefer practice in public because sometimes you're not necessarily building something that has a start and end date. Right? Building in public, to me, implies I'm making this thing. Therefore, there's a clear process and a start and a finish. Right? It really implies a completion. But what if what you're doing or what you're working on doesn't really fit into either of those buckets? So here's an example. This was, excuse me, a couple of weeks ago, and I was planning my week, and I was thinking about everything that needed attention in my business. And so I remember this clearly: it was a Sunday.I kind of like to plan my week ahead on a Sunday. And my initial thought was do this, like, master to-do list, kind of like a brain dump, right? But that started feeling overwhelming and not so fun. Does everything really need to be addressed and dealt with right now? No. So I started streamlining things last year based on the work of Doctor. Benjamin Hardy and Dan Sullivan, but somehow, it can still feel like too much. And I have stuck with for nine months, I'm not kidding you guys, I have a daily journal practice where I write down a mantra daily. I have the three things I'm focusing on at night, three things I'm grateful for, three wins, and then I plan out the next day's 3 things. And so I write them at night, and I rewrite them in the morning. Right? But the problem when you start doing these master to-do lists is that everything feels like a priority, which is silly, right? Of course, there's no way everything can be a priority.Or I should say, my friend Les says this great saying and it's, That's not a today problem. Because most things are not today problems. Now, keep in mind, none of these are necessarily problems. But the only way to move forward is to prioritize what needs to be done. So this is where I choose 3 priorities at the time. And Jim Collins, who wrote Good to Great, has a great, saying. And where is that? Oh, I thought I had that. Anyways, but if you have more than 3 priorities, you have none kind of thing, right? And, the simple steps that I needed when I was kind of in this frustrated, like funky state, right, was, to do the brain dump or to do list and then eliminate all but 3 priorities, okay? And you guys have probably heard the whole thing, you know, develop or build your second brain.Kim:I'm writing a Medium post about not wanting a second brain because there's enough in my first brain. I don't need more stuff to do, right? Or I don't know about you guys, but sometimes the productivity systems and tools and project management, that becomes a part time job. I'm not interested in doing that either, right? Okay. So the goal with this, this is again circling way back, this is about sharing a vulnerability as a piece of content. So doing the brain dump or the to do list and then eliminating all but 3 priorities. And what I'm sharing with you, this whole story is how I'm turning this into content and why anybody would care, right? Because remember, the premise of this video, this is part one, everything is content. And so what I decided was that the process of getting clear and getting this muck out of my head was that it was going to be a podcast episode for the week, And I needed to get it done as soon as possible, so deciding to use it for the podcast ensured that it had to happen, especially because I announced it in an email, right? And I am a huge proponent of being transparent and not just sharing the highlight reel. Because honestly, I don't know, my day to day is probably a little bit boring.Kim:And I don't know, the highlight reel might be what I'm having for lunch. But I have done this for as long as I can remember. And I have plenty of validation that sharing the struggles is what resonates with people. It also makes you incredibly relatable. Your subscribers and customers need to feel that what they want to achieve and accomplish is possible. And if you're only sharing the wins and not the losses, then people, we doubt things, right? And so we have to remember, you guys, creating and growing an online business is not easy. It doesn't matter what market or what niche you're in. It takes a lot of work.And so sharing the less-than-pretty side of things shows that we all struggle. But choosing to keep going is the differentiator, right? How many people, God, you guys, when I was doing websites or even done for you podcasts, I cannot begin to tell you how many people we would build a website for, and then I would go back 6 months later, and they hadn't put one piece of content on it. The logos and what I call the peripherals, the logos, the colors, the packages, and all that stuff are fun. But the day to day pushing and marketing, pushing is not the right word, but you know what I'm saying? Publishing and creating is the work. Anyways, so when I decided to take this funky feeling and turn it into a podcast episode, this is what I decided it was going to look like, that I would go deeper with the frustration in the story than I did in this original email or in this video. And I prefaced it with wanting my desired outcome, which was the clarity I needed and what are my 3 priorities. And because I'm such a visual person, I'll create something that allows me to see everything. And I should have grabbed it here.So what I did was I just did a brain dump on a piece of paper with colored pens and I just wrote down everything as it came to mind and then I went back and I circled, I circled 3 priorities. Like, the reason I did it with pen and paper too is because it's very easy to become like distracto ball. And next thing you know, I'm in mind map software and I'm doing this or I'm trying to create something with AI or something and all I need to do is get it out of my brain. Okay. Keep it simple. Oops. I need a different mic. This arm is so in my face.Anyways, and then all I did was take a quick photo with my phone of this brain dump, and now I have another image for the post. So, again, you guys, I ranted in this email about, you know, when you find yourself spending so much time in the tools that are supposed to streamline your business, question whether or not you need them. Now, I don't have client work. Like, I'll have coaching clients. I have one person that I do some marketing with on a monthly retainer, but I don't need a project management system for it. I use Asana for some of my own stuff once in a while, but you have to decide. And I'm going to preach this till the cows come home, but if it's not something you enjoy using or want to work with or your brain doesn't naturally work that way, don't force a square peg in a round hole. Anyways, okay, enough of that rant.Okay. So, sorry. You guys, this is really trippy. I don't know if I said this at the beginning, but I am testing using a teleprompter with Riverside FM. And so it's great to have the notes here, but it's a little interesting. And so the whole point of this was that I would also then have the after picture for the post, right, meaning once I circled and selected those 3 items. And then all I did is list the 3 priorities I've chosen, and then, this is again for the podcast episode, I went into the why behind why those three things were the priorities and the action that I was taking. And then if I'm lucky, I might come up with some name for this process, right? And I didn't.It wasn't necessary to do this. Now remember, this is an email that I sent out and there's 5 parts of this to start teaching people that everything really is content. Right? It doesn't not everything has to become a proprietary system or course or workshop or what. It can just be useful to you, right? It's kind of like it reminds me of I was talking to my daughter one time. It was so funny. And she said something about, you know, she really wanted more side hustles that she didn't have to monetize. And I go, You want me in a hobby? Right? So it's just the world we live in. It's okay to have things that you do simply because you enjoy them.Anyways, the whole point of this, right, is that this was work that needed to be done and I was frustrated and I caught myself thinking that I needed to create this big to do and make this project. And I was, I was like, This is making me crazy, like trying to figure out how to pull this clarity out of myself. And I will tell you that what I did also was I just got off the computer. Like I said, it was a Sunday. And so I got off the computer and then I just went, I don't know, I played a game on my iPad. I watched a little TV. It was a rainy day. And then I had this this inspiration.I'm like, do this, this everything is content email series to start talking about this. And that is what inspired the podcast episodes. You see all these pieces, everything does really become content. So you might be asking, why is anybody gonna care? Because the other thing that we hear often in marketing is that it's not about you. It's about your reader. It's about your subscriber, your listener, whatever. But here's the thing. I I can't I I can speak to their problems and offer solutions if I'm the one to solve those problems, but all I have is my experience.And stories are what connect us to people. So get put that whole thing to the side. Your your audience, subscriber, customer needs to feel to to feel and see themselves in those stories, but it's more about being relatable and creating that connection. And so the reason why, again, would anybody care is because we've all been there, right? We've all felt that frustration. And then sometimes we hear or read someone else's process and that's all we need to get moving, even if how we do it is completely different. And so what I'm hoping with this is I want people to start simplifying, right? And the post will serve as an example of everything is content that podcast episode did because I know this is getting very meta, right, where creating content that shows that everything is content, it's getting a little meta, but you get the point, right? And for the story part of the episode, I was completely honest about how I got distracted. And then I realized what the problem was, right? Which, Q Taylor Swift, it's me. Hi.I'm the problem. And so I also wanted to share the desired outcome, right? I wrapped up the episode with 2 things I mentioned at the beginning, the clarity and the 3 priorities. And then finally, I now have this brain dump of priorities. And so when the the top 3 that I listed, which one of them is about ready to get done, it was a new website. I've been working on it for a little bit, bit, and I'm literally going to pull the trigger in a day or 2. And so, but I've got this document to go back to and get in line with, right? And so I know that that this might seem obvious, this example, because it's relative to my business, but in some ways, it definitely still falls under the documenting bucket. And you know what? I don't know. Maybe we need to create a 3rd bucket of the shit that needs to get done bucket.Right? Because the entire purpose of everything is content is to help people who are sick of the same niche down advice. I, I, I as soon as I felt like I needed to niche down, I did this when I was a WordPress chick for 10 years. I got to a point where I was so tired of talking about WordPress. And I had already pivoted to talking more about content marketing. But then when I decided that I was gonna focus on email marketing, then I felt stuck too. Like, all of a sudden, now I have to, you know, go do keyword research, and what can I rank for, and what are long tail keywords? Just stop. Like, we are it's a very different world today. We don't know where SEO is gonna be in a year from now.Again, it's totally still relevant. I'm not an SEO expert, but I know where I get stuck. And so my challenging call to you is to start listening to that inner voice and trusting yourself and saying, What do I want to create content with? Who do I want to serve and how can I help them? And then move forward, right? So people get stuck when it comes to creating content, to get run out of ideas because they feel like it has to fall under a certain umbrella. And it doesn't. I'm just, you know, don't be afraid to step outside of the box when it comes to content. And, lastly, here's a great example. So I wrote a post on Medium. If you're not following me there, just Kim Doyle.And the post was titled, What Gen X Women Really Want. And what we want is ease. Now, I'm not saying other people don't want ease. I don't get into generational wars and I'm not about to try and speak for men, okay? But I know as a woman who is Gen X at this stage, all of my friends, people that I know, they're were freaking tired, right? And so you've raised your kids, it's like, I want things to be easier. That doesn't mean you don't do the work, but start asking yourself, what would my life look like if it were easy? Right? That's a better question to pose. Anyways, so this is part 1, like I said, of a 5 part series for Everything is Content. This originated as an email series. Now, last bit, because I know we're getting a little chatty here.But the last piece is this is part of a bigger sort of, content flywheel that I'm creating, meaning all 5 of those emails are now becoming a blog post. Each of these videos will go on YouTube and into the blog post. I have not transcribed them, they are emails. So I've got a PDF for them, excuse me, and I'm going to start running paid traffic to that post because I'm on a mission. I want people to ease up about content creation and start having more fun. And so those 5 emails, though, totaled about 4,500 words. So I'm editing the content now to make sure that it makes sense in a post versus an email series. Right? So anyways, that is part 1 of Everything is Content.And I can't wait to watch this recording to see how using a teleprompter looked or worked. Yeah. So, have fun, guys. Be easy about it. Everything is content. And if you want the PDF of this email series, just comment PDF in the comments below and I will DM you with a link to grab that. So, anyways, thanks guys. Stay tuned for part 2.And I'm gonna give you another example. So I've kind of got different categories, but anyways, here we go. Let's do this. Alright guys, that is it for part 1. Thanks so much for listening. Again, I would love to have you join me on the workshop on Wednesday, March 6th at 11 AM Pacific time, and of course, it will be recorded, if you register. So go to kimdoyle.comforward/eicworkshop, all one word, and you can register to join me live, get the replay, or depending upon when you have listened to this, you can probably just do the on demand workshop. But I'm probably gonna run it live for a little bit.Anyways, stay tuned for the rest of the week for the other four parts. Alright. That's it. As always, thank you so much for listening.

00:00 Sending random rants, reconnecting with authenticity. China.05:31 Embracing ignorance, shifting perspective, and embracing fun.09:13 Balancing organic and paid traffic for brand.11:49 Challenges with apps integration, user demands, burnout.15:38 Frustration with big companies and their rules.17:23 Generic ebook platform with AI and marketing features.22:43 Seeking genuine connections, not just building tools.23:53 Favor real connections over forced opt-ins.29:14 Long journey to clarity and productivity.32:46 Custom GPT creation for sales page writing.33:34 Task manager helps stay on track, API potential.38:28 AI tool not useful, unclear beneficial use case.42:15 Draft article based on conversations, structure content.44:29 Focus on actionable, personalized content for improvement.49:51 Simplify your website strategy, focus on writing.51:10 Newcomers face overwhelming and confusing landscape.53:54 Big platforms need better customer support. Thanks!Kim [00:00:00]:Hey there. It's Kim Doyal, and welcome to my show where digital marketing meets real stories, experiences, and strategies. You'll get a behind-the-scenes look at what's working and not working in my business, as well as other experts who show up and share their stories. As much as I love talking about tangible marketing principles and tactics, we'll dig a little deeper with mindset and explore what's required to create a business you love on your terms that also supports your life. I wanna help you understand the why behind the how. Whether you're a seasoned marketer or just dipping your toes in, remember that marketing is a journey, and the goal is to enjoy it. My desire is to guide you on your journey and remind you that no matter what life throws at you, you've got this. Hey.Kim [00:00:44]:What's going on, everybody? Welcome to another episode of the Kim Doyal Show. It's been a while since I've done a I was gonna say live interview, but it's live for us. So we'll go ahead and run with that. And I'm excited because I think this conversation is gonna go in directions that neither of us are really aware of, but it's gonna be really fun. My guest today is Addison Best. So first of all, Addison, thank you so much for being here.Addison [00:01:06]:Well, thank you for having me, Kim. It's I think we talked about a little bit before this started. I haven't spoken to anybody in, I feel like, a decade. I used to have an English learning podcast with my brother, but that was all audio. Now, I'm just looking in my camera, and I feel like a deer in headlights, and I'm just kind of like, oh, wait. This is how I look? And I'm kind of freaked out, but I'm gonna try to calm down and carry on, I guess.Kim [00:01:30]:Yeah. Well, you know what's funny is it's almost like because I wanna do the eye contact thing, I'm like, well, I'll just go ahead and look at the camera and not worry about seeing myself or whatever. But, yeah. No. This is gonna be fun because first of all, for a little backstory about, you know, Addison had reached out to me. And this just goes to show you guys in the fall, and I was not getting the notifications from Gravity Forms. So it was like, oh my god. I've missed all these but before we get into a lot of the meat of what we wanna talk about, which we're gonna kinda go down this AI and and the impact it has on content and email, I love the backstory, Addison.Kim [00:02:12]:So if you could share your backstory with listeners, that would be great.Addison [00:02:14]:Well, it's funny. Yeah. I've been sending Kim, random emails that are kinda rants recently, so I didn't even know if she was getting it or she thought this guy's a bit nuts or whatever she was thinking. But I do it anyway because I'm trying to get back to my roots and being authentic and just having fun with different people and thinking and hoping that maybe they feel the same kind of thing. Specifically, my backstory, I guess, was in 2003 or so, I graduated university in Canada, and I went to visit my older brother in China, and I ended up staying for 14 years. That's the short end of the story. And then, of course, I got into a bunch of digital marketing and things since being there, and now a couple decades later, here I am.Kim [00:02:57]:Okay. So I just have to unpack a couple things. First of all, can you speak fluent Chinese now, I'm assuming?Addison [00:03:02]:I wouldn't say fluent. I lived in Shanghai, but, of course, you need to speak at a certain level to get by, and nobody like, taxi drivers, which you take everywhere, don't speak English and stuff like that. You have to my wife is Chinese. I moved back to Canada 5 years ago or so. And, of course, I have to speak to some level of Chinese. And, yeah. And but I think also if I knew I was gonna be there for 14 years, I would have learned it even more. It was almost like I kept extending my stay for 14 years, and somehow I ended up staying for 14 years.Addison [00:03:39]:You know what I mean? It wasn't a plan, if that makes any sense.Kim [00:03:43]:No. It totally does. Well, you know, after almost 2 years in Costa Rica, I am not fluent in Spanish, but I've decided to move back. And I'm, like, girl, come on. And the the tough thing there is that everybody not everybody, but most people speak English. And then, of course, you have Google Translate now. So you can speak to, you know, people that you need to. But, anyways, god, what incredible experience though.Kim [00:04:05]:I I just you got into digital marketing then and at in the early stages. Right? So it looked really different when you were getting started compared to now. And I always tell people, I'm like, on one hand, I feel like it was easier because there wasn't as much competition. On the other hand, to get up and running, you can do it quickly today. So I don't know. What are your thoughts on having been through that, a, in a foreign country, and, b, just this whole, like, let's just see where this takes us.Addison [00:04:33]:Well, yeah, as I said, I was in China. I didn't really know what I was gonna do. The 1st venture I did in digital marketing was create an English learning podcast with my brother in China. Part of the reason we did that, there was a super popular one, for Chinese learning in our city in Shanghai. And we just thought, Oh, wait, why don't we do that? We went even to their studio, we saw what equipment they had and we're like, whatever, we can buy a few microphones and just put up a podcast. And then of course you think, once you have a podcast, you're going to make a website and try to monetize it in some way after that. And so we just kind of dove into it, not thinking about it, which was great, I think, and a good attitude to have. I learned a lot, I think, from doing that, and I actually, to be honest, I'm trying to get back more in that mentality now, So, you know, looking back what I did, I actually think I was on the right track in a lot of ways.Kim [00:05:31]:Well, we talked a little bit before, so and and this is something that is super near and dear to my heart, and that is just kinda ignorance is bliss, but also not being so concerned about, you know, anything external. You just put it out there and you publish and you see what works, you know. So if you could talk a little bit about what's brought you back to that place of why do I care so much now? Like, you know, and shifting back because honestly, I think with where with where everything is today, there's so many you know, this is what you need for a brand. This is what you should do on this channel. This is what you should on that channel. I think people are just sick of it. Like, there is a little bit of there's market maturity so people can like, people can see a launch coming a mile away, right, versus, like, just genuinely connecting and and going back to roots and and having fun and testing stuff out. So, I just would love for you to go a little bit deeper into your own thoughts and realization of where'd that guy go?Addison [00:06:29]:Well, yeah. I had mentioned that a little bit before the show, and I just, went on YouTube. We had a an English learning podcast, so at that time, there wasn't even really YouTube. So that was a video that I saw later, But it was entitled Saturday Night Drinks, and I just I had a vodka Red Bull with my brother on a couch, and we talked about some English learning material for slang spoken English. And, I mean, obviously, I didn't give a shit about what people thought. It didn't even make any sense, but I read the comments, and they were amazing. People loved it. And then I think now the vanilla stuff I'm, like, putting out there, and I'm thinking, why am I doing that? And certainly, nobody cares about it if you have go down too far in that mentality.Addison [00:07:12]:But at the same time, when you get older and, certainly, you have more of a professional, maybe a brand, you might kind of revert back and think, oh, now I have I can't say this and I have to act in a certain way. But I think that's where shit, to be honest. And that's why I wanna get back into being a real person and having a real following, if if I can. We'll see. Maybe I'm a dinosaur, and I'm just gonna, like, fall on my face. Like, I don't care. That's the thing now either, and I'm not gonna pretend like I do.Kim [00:07:41]:Leo, dinosaur. I think I'm probably about 10 years older than you. Sorry to interrupt. There might be a bit of a delay here, but I feel like people are craving that though, Addison. I think people are, you know, it's like, we're when it comes down to it, and I keep quoting doctor Seuss, but it's like, no one is youer than you. And, like, we are the only differentiator. Especially with AI, like, you know, you can create massive amounts of of content and it's a race to the bottom. So if you wanna differentiate yourself, then, of course, you need to be uniquely yourself.Kim [00:08:13]:Right?Addison [00:08:14]:Exactly. And what I realized, I like the simplicity, as you mentioned before back then as well, there weren't so many tools, there weren't all these social media platforms. You could build a simple HTML website or like a simple WordPress one. We had a simple email box collector. We made partnerships with real people, and we were collecting hundreds of emails a day from all opt ins. And, like, I made my own email server, and I just kinda went with it. We were sending out hundreds of thousands of emails to people. And it was that kind of mentality, well, what's wrong with that? And the answer is nothing.Addison [00:08:52]:I mean, that's it's pretty good. If if you just have a simple strategy building, collecting emails, emailing that group, selling them something else, and then giving them the content that they want as well, and then reaching out to people and making partnerships. And if that's all you do, I mean, you don't really have to do much else, and there's nothing to think about.Kim [00:09:13]:Well, completely, especially today where you look at, you know, organic social, it's like, I don't wanna spend that much time to master a specific platform. At the same time, like, it's still I mean, my brand's been around for a while now, so it's it's still obviously drives traffic. But a perfect scenario for me would be creating content. And then I have no problem with paid traffic, like getting a really solid paid traffic strategy down. And I just get to create and connect with people I like, And then the traffic engine is running, you know, like, Oh God, I do not want to spend all day mastering Twitter templates or X or whatever the hell he's calling it. So okay. I wanna pivot to some of the the content that we wanna get into. But before we do that, I would love to hear just one of the things with the backstory piece that I think is fascinating is the pivots and and kind of trajectory.Kim [00:10:07]:So I would love to hear kind of your journey. Like you sent me some dates and steps along the way, because it wasn't just, oh, I just launched this, this English, you know, learning channel podcast, you know, and that blew up. It was you you definitely had some, you know, your own path there. So if you could share a little bit about that, that'd be awesome.Addison [00:10:24]:Right. So it's not like I've only done that. That was my 1st start into internet marketing and just doing stuff online. Since then, I've done a lot of consulting and, you know, working on different startups even and just different projects. One of the things, I own a health supplement brand. I sell physical products. I sell 1,000,000 of dollars a year in that. And even 8 years ago or so in China, kind of at the end of my time there, I started making Shopify apps with a friend, and we had about 8 apps.Addison [00:10:58]:And they started getting a bit of traction, but then, you know, through some personal issues, and some other reasons, we ended that. And I'm kinda going back into a similar thing, which was LeadSlide was created then, and that's my I made an AI ebook creator software marketing funnel platform recently, and I kinda wanna go back and do the things I was doing then, but do it in a way that makes sense for 2024 as opposed to 2016. And I learned a lot from doing that and I made a lot of mistakes, so basically I wanted to not do those anymore hopefully.Kim [00:11:40]:Yeah. Okay. Well, not to to get super personal, but, like, what would you do differently. Right? And and what does it mean to do things differently today?Addison [00:11:49]:Well, I'll give you an example. We had, I think 8 apps, and again, I like collecting emails, so part of the reason some of them were freemium, we collected a lot of emails every day, we didn't have to pay a lot for advertising, and that was amazing. And we started doing too many integrations with the platform. And so what happens when you do that is themes and other things start breaking, and then your apps don't work anymore, and then you create a bunch of headaches. So it sounds like a good idea to listen to your users and give them whatever they want, but what ends what ends up happening, especially in a small team, is you got shitty software and nobody wants it, and then you're just like, why am I even bother doing this anymore? And then on a personal level, my business partner was going through a divorce, and I was getting ready I was busy with other projects and moving back to Canada at that point, so it's just kind of fizzled out, and that's the main reason what happened. But I mean, nothing earth shattering that happened, but it's just like, I don't want a simple solution now. I don't want to waste my time dealing with all this horseshit either. So, like, I'm trying to go back to, like and that's what I was saying.Addison [00:13:01]:The English learning strategy was simple. We collected a lot of emails. We sent emails. We made partnerships, and we made a podcast. That's all we did, and it kinda worked. SoKim [00:13:13]:Well, it's it's funny I justAddison [00:13:14]:to that. Yeah.Kim [00:13:16]:People, I was just gonna say I have a kind of a mini mastermind with some friends, and I emailed them yesterday. I'm like, alright, you guys. I said my focus on on on simplifying. I wanna simplify, meaning whether just because I've created it doesn't mean it. Mean I need to keep selling it. I don't need to use this tool. Do I need that tool? Whatever. Just because and maybe it's a stage of life for me, but I'm like, I want more free time.Kim [00:13:37]:I want what I'm doing to afford me more free time as well as it's a whole lot easier to grow 1 or 2 things versus 10 or 15 with focus. Right?Addison [00:13:49]:Absolutely. It gets confusing. You start, thinking about, you know, why am I not doing this? And then you look at your week, and it's like, did I even make anything? I didn't even make any content this week. I didn't produce anything. I didn't collect any emails, but you felt like you were busy the whole week. You can have that. You can just feel, like, anxiety and feel feel terrible the whole week, and it's like, wait a minute, it's Friday, and did I do anything? The answer is often no, I think.Kim [00:14:18]:Mhmm.Addison [00:14:19]:And I don't wanna be caught in that trap and just feeling kind of just, I don't know, residual guilt and like angst and like, why am I not doing this? I just don't want to feel that way, and that's partly why I want to simplify it as well. It's not necessarily to make the most money. It's like, I don't wanna shoot myself in the head at the end of the week.Kim [00:14:38]:Yeah. Well and the other thing is that that feeling then, all of a sudden, when you look at the end of the week and you're like, I didn't produce anything or, you know, you took care of stuff, it's like then I start feeling like I'm behind. And I don't want that. I'm I'm not. You're you're never done in this space. There's always gonna be more to do. And I don't wanna feel like, oh my god. Now now I've got it.Kim [00:14:58]:I have to work this weekend to get this done because I didn't do this. And I don't know. Like, part of why I love what I do is because I can take the dog for a walk in the afternoon or, you know, when I'm in a warmer climate, I can go hang out in the pool and read a book for a little bit, like walk. I those are the things that I wanna do. And so it's it's I've always said this. There's a big difference between productivity and activity. And activity can take over pretty quickly if you're not super diligent about your time. You know, so I totally got that.Addison [00:15:27]:No, absolutely. And and I find sometimes you focus, or I I focus sometimes too much about pleasing algorithms and things that I don't wanna be pleasing, and I don't give a shitKim [00:15:38]:whatAddison [00:15:38]:Google thinks, and I don't think what care what Amazon thinks. Sometimes you end up sometimes it's working well and you think this is great and then something shitty happens, like you lose all your traffic randomly overnight with SEO or something like that, and you get so stressed. So at least if you're building an email list and partnerships, you're not gonna lose that part of your business, you know, and you can keep some level of sanity, and that's part of it. And I think that part seems to be getting worse in my feeling and just dealing with big companies and they're always changing the rules and like changing things like, Now you gotta pay for this and that, and this doesn't work, and you have to act this way. You're not allowed to say this or that. And it's like, sorry guys, I'm gonna do it anyways. So just, I'm tired of listening to it. And so that's part of it.Kim [00:16:28]:I totally agree. Yeah. Well, it's like I've kind of been ranty about I don't know. When I was a WordPress chick, WordPress content was very easy to rank for. It was like 2008 to 18 or what. And it was like, it was, it wasn't, I...

Simplifying your business to increase sales might seem counterintuitive, but it’s far from it.The funny thing is if someone had told me five years ago that I wanted to simplify my business, I’m pretty sure I would have disagreed with them.I was reminded of this last weekend while working on my new site.I’m using KadenceWP (which I absolutely LOVE), and because it’s been a long time since I’ve done a new theme, I forgot about the domino effect that happens when you start touching things.The domino effect is when you touch one thing; it creates a ripple effect (and multiple dominos start falling that have to be dealt with).Here’s what I mean:I started with the homepage of my site and have two areas that highlight what I do and how people can work with me.The problem with these is that since they’re only highlights, there’s a learn more button that people click on to go deeper.So everything from the homepage that has a “learn more” button needs an additional page (I know, I’m stating the obvious, but go along with me).I’ve been working on the site for a while, so it’s been a process. I didn’t create a sitemap first (which would have solved some of this), but I also have a lot of pages and content on my site that I need to go through to delete or update.I’ve also gotten some much-needed clarity about my business over the last few months, so things have changed slightly.It wasn’t until listening to a podcast after working on the site (and internal pages that need to be linked to) that I realized I was probably making things more complicated than they needed to be.I was listening to the podcast episode on the ‘Get Paid Podcast’ with Clair Pelletreau. She was interviewing a woman I hadn’t heard of named Kirsten Roldan.First, I LOVE discovering new people (anyone else go down the rabbit hole when they listen to podcasts?), and I LOVE this woman. She made $350k in her FIRST year in business!Transform Ideas Into Inspired Action: Subscribe to the SPARKYes, it was her first year.The two things I love about her:She wants people to find peace in their business and stop complicating thingsShe does that primarily through teaching email marketing and business systemsShe had me at email.When I went to her website to check things out, I realized she only had a few offers.She has an agency (first offer, DFY) and two primary offers.That’s it.Talk about simple, right?Which made me think about my site and offers.I do coaching and have courses. Easy enough, right?Well… I’m not so sure.All the courses I’ll be listing are already created and are relative to everything I do (email, content, newsletters, AI).And I’m only selling things that are recent-ish.But…the bigger question is whether or not this aligns with my bigger goals and where I want to be a year from now.Because of this, I realized I needed to edit the homepage… again.This isn’t a big deal because I’m essentially combining two things (Newsletters & Email Marketing) and combining them into one (I know, duh).So, it will become three columns instead of four in the section “How I Can Help.” I’m using KadenceWP, so creating another block of three columns and dragging the content into the column will be super easy.Back to simplifying (because I’ve gone a little sideways here).I started thinking about the different offers and had to get real with myself for a minute.Here are a few thoughts I had:First, just because you’ve already created it doesn’t mean you have to keep selling it. Even if it’s relative to what you’re doing, does it really align with where you’re going? 🤔Is this the stuff you WANT to be doing/talking about/selling?Are you going to continue creating content around all of this so that what you talk about aligns with your offers?What if it were easier?What if you only had three offers like Kirsten Roland… and ALL your energy went into promoting those?How much easier would your content be? Your marketing?That last one is the million-dollar question, isn’t it?Transform Ideas Into Inspired Action: Subscribe to the SPARKWhat if it were easier?!?!All of this was validated when I talked to my friend, Jason Resnick.Jason and I had a weekly call that started when we had a project we were working on together, and then we decided to keep it up when that ended.What’s great is that we have similar business goals, which is more ease and more free time while scaling revenue.It might sound a little obvious, but depending on where you’re at in your life and the stage of your business, your goals might look very different.Back to the validation.On our last call, I told Jason that I had three things I wanted to accomplish before our next call:Getting my new theme upMaking the move to beehiiv from ConvertKitLaunching some Power Content (this is relative to Laurel Portié’s Facebook ads program)Well… none of those things happened.Only because swapping out the theme for my website isn’t as straightforward as flipping a switch.It’s the domino effect in full force.As I was working on the copy on the homepage, I realized I was WAY overcomplicating things.What I was setting up wasn’t supporting the business I truly wanted.This brings me to the next point, which, more often than not, isn’t where people start when they think about starting a business or pivoting a business (although I think this is changing).Oftentimes, the desire to start a business comes from not wanting to work for someone else, being able to make money with something you enjoy, and providing the income you need for the life you want.All are completely valid.When I started my business, freedom was my primary motivator. This supported having the freedom to be around for my kids and control my schedule.Fast forward 16 years later (what the bucket?), and I want a business that gives me a different level of time freedom.Meaning, way more white space on my calendar.I’m clear on what I do and how I help people (finally… this has definitely pivoted throughout the years), but instead of constantly creating and testing new offers, I want a few core products that I can completely focus on.In other words, create a solid content strategy combined with paid traffic that turns these offers into a well-oiled evergreen machine.What happens is that when we get bored talking about the same things over and over, we assume our audience feels the same way.But the likelihood of your audience seeing your content to the degree that you share it is minimal.Transform Ideas Into Inspired Action: Subscribe to the SPARKLet’s play a game, shall we?I’m going to define exactly what I want.I’ve recommended this ideal “everyday” day exercise before, but I’m going to paint this picture for you so you really get a feel for the process and remind yourself that you get to create exactly what you want.To set this up:I’ve shared that I’m moving back to Costa Rica this summer, and some concrete things are in place now.First, I got my place back, which I am THRILLED about! The landlord had raised the price quite a bit since I left, and because I have good friends in the building, I knew it was available. My friend, who knows the landlord pretty well, called him (he had said if she knew someone personally, he would do a lower rent), and he was thrilled that I wanted to come back.My rent is only $100 more than when I left (and $400 less than he publicly offered it).So that takes care of that. I have a lot to haul down again, but that’s ok. The apartment is mine July 1st.All that being said, I’m doing this exercise as though I’m living in Costa Rica.My ideal “everyday” dayI wake up without an alarm between 6-7 am.Get my coffee going and take the dog out.Once she’s done, we go back upstairs, make my coffee, and meditate.After meditation, I head to my desk to start my workday.I work until the next trip down with the dog, which is usually around lunchtime. Visit with a neighbor for a few minutes, and head back upstairs for lunch.I enjoy a healthy lunch, usually with some green juice I bought from the fruit & veggie stand.I get back to work for a few more hours and get off the computer between 3-4.Then I get the dog, and we head to the beach for an afternoon walk along the water and get some fresh air.Dinner is with friends or on the patio, where I can watch the sunset (those Costa Rican sunsets are something else).Once the sun goes down, I do some artwork or get on my laptop for a bit and watch some TV.I never have calls on Monday or Friday and am usually done working by noon on Fridays. I start the weekend by going to lunch with a friend at Las Brisa’s (best margaritas!).My weekends are spent relaxing in the pool, at the beach, or hanging out with friends.Can’t you feel the ease in that?Does living simply mean I don’t have goals and desires?Of course not.It just means that the work that I do when I am working supports that lifestyle.Transform Ideas Into Inspired Action: Subscribe to the SPARKThe Oxymoron of Simplifying to ScaleIt really feels counterintuitive that simplifying things is the easiest way to scale because we live in a culture that rewards busyness.You must be a “hard worker” if you’re always busy.How often have you asked someone how they’re doing, and they reply with “Good, just super busy” (or some variation of that)?I’m guilty as charged with that one.And this isn’t a dig at people who are multi-passionate.In my opinion, multi-passionate is just a different way of saying diversified income.Where people who are multi-passionate get into trouble is when they can’t keep up with any of their passions and find themselves always playing catch up, feeling behind, or never quite getting the thing launched or deployed.I’m all for diversified income, but after years of experience, I’ve learned to ensure my foundation is solid – one thing at a time.It’s hard to try to launch multiple things concurrently.Think about it this way (bear with me; this analogy just popped into my head).Let’s say you want to start growing your own fruits and vegetables.You wouldn’t go out and start/buy three different farms, would you?No. You’d start with a handful of things you could plant in your garden and easily manage. You’d ensure your little gardening patch was in the right spot for the sun and the water source was close (or you’d set up a drip system).Then you’d tend to the garden and WAIT.We’ve all heard the analogy that you wouldn’t plant corn in the morning and expect to be able to have corn from your garden the same night for dinner, would you?But we do this in business ALL.THE.TIME.We create something, share it a few times via email and a few places on social, and then when it doesn’t give us the return we wanted, we immediately decide it doesn’t work (also guilty as charged).So, how do we change this nutty cycle?We SIMPLIFY.I have a few goals, but my primary focus is “Everything Is Content.”I’ll move on to the next thing as soon as I have that front-end offer running, converting, and making sales on Evergreen (paid traffic).This doesn’t mean there aren’t other things I’m trying/testing/thinking about in the background.It just means this is my focus and gets the majority of my attention (this is why I allow myself “play time” to test and try things. Because I allow myself this time, I don’t have FOMO or feel like I “should” be doing something else.Think about people in your own space or niche that you consider successful.Are they constantly moving from thing to thing or are they staying focused?Do they have a few products (a signature offer) or do they have tons and tons of separate projects?Before you can truly succeed in business, you need to be clear on what you want your life and business to look like.This isn’t woo-woo; it’s necessary.To quote the late, great Zig Ziglar:“If you can’t hit a target you can’t see, you can’t hit one you don’t have.”

There’s nothing like pissy internet trolls to help you get crystal clear about who you engage with and that you don’t owe anybody anything.Not to mention the joy of choosing to block these people from your life.My friend Karen Michaels (a brilliant social media strategist) repeatedly repeats that it’s vitally as important to curate your feeds as it is to post and engage.I won’t get into a bunch of details here- because the entire exchange was, quite frankly, a little wackadoodle. I re-posted something on Facebook about the Barbie snub of Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie not being nominated for Best Director or Best Actress.The FB repost was a quote from Bette Midler.To which a friend replied that it was typical of Amercians to lie and omit only to advance a narrative.Um… excuse me?What I should have done was delete him and block him immediately. But because this person was a “friend” (we’ve had actual conversations on Zoom, I’ve interviewed him, etc.), I was pretty respectful in my response.Why a white male from Canada has a dog in the fight when it comes to American women feeling this was unjust (and just a little bit ironic considering the context of the movie) is beyond me.Little fact for you: In the 100 years of the Academy Awards, only EIGHT females have been nominated for director, with only three winnings.Either way, it was a ridiculous exchange and out of left field. After I deleted all of his comments and blocked him, all I could think was that this person must have something deeper going on and decided to pick a fight.I’m all for differing opinions, provided you can be respectful.Transform Ideas into Inspired Action: Subscribe to the SPARKThe implication was also that because the movie received other awards, people (i.e., women) shouldn’t be upset.Here’s the thing: I’m at a point in my life when I’m done trying to appease idiots. I don’t need to justify or explain myself to anyone.That being said, I’m pretty sure social media isn’t the place where meaningful change is going to happen, especially with someone shows up just to be a dick.It makes me think of the Maya Angelou quote:“When someone shows you who they are the first time, believe them.”Maya AngelouHere’s another internet troll story from last week that happened with a friend.I’m going to be a little cryptic since it’s not my personal story, but you’ll get the gist of it.A friend posted on Twitter that he was deleting a large quantify of cold subscribers from his email list that had come through one specific growth strategy, then asked if people could guess what it was.Someone from a company that sells this growth strategy jumped in with what appeared to be an attempt at a diplomatic reply, only to end up basically blaming the issue on the creator/business owner not having a good onboarding sequence.Sigh.Huge opportunity missed for creating a conversation about doing better.My friend is pretty brilliant when it comes to email marketing, growth, data, and automations.By the way, the growth strategy that was called out was referral programs.I’ll go on the record now and say that if these programs don’t improve, in other words, stop shoving 3-8 more opt-ins in someone’s face after they subscribe, a lot of people will stop using them.I also think advertisers will stop paying for sponsorships in newsletters with big subscriber lists and crappy conversion rates.Moving on…WAY too many people are running their businesses with their egos driving the bus.Internet trolls aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.It always comes down to how we handle what shows up.And even then, we’re all human and have bad days, engage when we probably know we shouldn’t, and get riled up by people… especially when you think the troll was a friend.Ideally, though, we move on.This also validated my goal of mastering paid traffic this year. 😉Transform Ideas into Inspired Action: Subscribe to the SPARKA Content Strategy for 2024There’s something about the energy in the creator/marketing space that feels a bit like there’s a renaissance happening.AI may have sparked all of this, but this is more about the space in general.Digital marketing is now just ‘marketing,’ and gone are the days of jumping into strategies that big names/gurus have recommended, are doing, or are selling you.This isn’t to call out companies or people by name, but for the sake of giving you an example, I kinda have to give some names here.Let’s look at a company example first (and this is all from my own experience and observations).ClickFunnels, which has been the leading funnel software for years, is losing a lot of ground and, no doubt, customers as well.The launch of 2.0 was a bit of a cluster. After being announced, it took a full year to make it public, and then it launched with only half the features.The launch was in the fall of 2022.Meanwhile, High Level continues to grow at an accelerated rate, and a lot of big names have left ClickFunnels to move to High Level (many of whom had spoken at Funnel Hacking Live and were part of their Inner Circle) and are white-labeling High Level and speaking at the High-Level annual event.Another company example would be ConvertKit.They’ve made a lot of updates in the last year, but that feels like a mad-dash attempt not to lose people to beehiiv.My primary frustration with ConvertKit was that it was supposed to be for Creators, yet we didn’t really get a visual builder for email until the last year or so.Along comes beehiiv, who is growing at a rapid pace and deploying features their customers wanted, and it feels like now ConvertKit is paying attention.Competition is good, but that’s not what this is about.This is about the fact that, as entrepreneurs and business owners, we now have more options than ever before.Whether it’s a website/blogging platform, email service provider, social media platform, or content strategy.You have choices.Now, let’s look at a few examples of people in this space.The first person that comes to mind is Alex Hormozi.And for the record, I have both of his books and have nothing against him.But every time I see a piece of content that references how to do something like Alex, I move on.I was watching a Laurel Portié training, and she explained very clearly why copying what Alex does won’t work for you.And no, it’s not because you’re not Alex, and his content works because it’s him.His style of content won’t work for you because he’s not trying to sell you anything.What Alex does on social is part of a bigger strategy and his business model has nothing to do with selling courses, coaching, or any other digital marketing strategy.I don’t know about you, but I use social to support my business (and some entertainment as well… one of my latest TikTok obsessions is Scottish toddlers…way too cute).There are a whole lot of other things I’d rather be doing than spending time on social media.I’m there because it’s marketing.It’s all about perspectiveI launched my business 16 years ago, so my perspective is going to be WAY different than someone who is just getting started.We also have the dichotomy of it being both easier and harder at the same time.It’s easier today because the tools we use to build and grow a business are so much better than they were in 2008.It’s harder today because there’s so much more competition; social platforms would rather have you pay to play (the organic reach on social used to be amazing, with far less effort than is required today).And then add AI into the mix and it’s a whole different ball game.The best way to succeed online with content is to put blinders on.For example, here’s a sampling of the content I came across this morning:Selling over 1.5M via Instagram and chatbots (DMs)4000 followers in less than 70 days on MediumHow to start writing on SubstackAn email about a TikTok courseAn email about YouTubeAn email about email marketing and another about list buildingAn article about lead magnets not working (and one about what type of lead magnet is working)Selling digital productsMaking millions through curated contentHow to rank on GoogleHow to grow on LinkedInUsing a $5 a day ad strategy for FB & IGThere are SO many options when it comes to creating and publishing content.You’ll never know what works for you if you try to pay attention to everything (I know, that’s a little dramatic, but trying to keep up is overwhelming).I’m going to keep this super simple when it comes to creating a content strategy for 2024:Decide what you want to create content aboutChoose the 1-2 mediums you enjoy (writing, audio, or video)Choose 1 -2 platforms to focus onThis doesn’t mean you can’t test a different medium or share on more than 1-2 platforms.It means this is your primary focus, and you can do what you want after those are done.Put your focus into getting better at the things you enjoy, and then allow yourself some time to test/play/explore.Provided you can do that without derailing yourself (we’ve all been there).ALL of this stuff works.That doesn’t mean you have to do it all, nor do you have to hire someone to do the things you don’t like doing.I will happily hire someone to do social for me later this year once I have a strategy down that works for what I’m doing in my business.Recently, I was listening to the Free Time podcast with Jenny Blake, where she shared that she’s shutting down her private community and stopping both her podcasts (Free Time and Pivot).One of the things I’ve loved about Jenny Blake since I found her was that she’s so honest about what works for her. She’s not active on social media and talks very openly about needing time and space in her life outside of her business.She worked for Google, and once she was promoted to managing a team, she was miserable.She never wanted to manage people but felt like that was what she was “supposed” to do (Oh, corporate America… you’ve done a number on a lot of us).I’m sure this is why she came up with the term “delightfully tiny team” – which she talks about in her book Free Time.You do not have to want to be on every platform, creating every type of content.And if you do?Go for it.You also get to change your mind.I will change my mind and try new things as long as it takes to find what works for me.And… if you don’t want to create content?That’s perfectly OK, too.As long as you can drive traffic to your products and services (paid traffic, referrals from previous customers, etc.), and you’re good with how things are running in your business, that’s all that matters.If you do want to create content, you have to make sure enough people see it.Whether that’s social or paid traffic, you need people to consume it.At the end of the day, the best type of content you can create is the type you enjoy.From there, you can work on getting better. Fine-tuning it, drilling deeper, making it more entertaining, and learning to edit your own work (that’s an art form in and of itself!).And of course, if it’s not fun, don’t do it.

There is nothing like a little avoidance to force your hand on getting some much-needed clarity.Especially when the priority is cash.Let me back up a little and share what brought me here.I spent a lot of last year trying to remove things from my business, or so I thought.On one hand, I created some incredibly solid habits that have stuck, but I feel like I still haven’t moved the needle on things that will have the biggest impact on my business, at least not as much as I had hoped.And honestly, who’s to say what’s enough?Could I have done more?Sure.We always can.But I also know that last year was a lot. Being back in California, my Dad’s health challenges, and more time with family & friends (which was great, but when everything is a 2-hour drive, one way, it can throw your schedule for a loop), and my own recovery from back surgery made for a long year.So, even though my goal was to simplify and remove things, I can’t say I was super successful.I’ve accepted the fact that part of who I am is about exploring new ideas. This is fine, provided I keep the new ideas in the “exploring stage” and not in the “pivot and implement” stage.The two things (outside of life in general), that threw me off my path were AI and then hosting the retreat in Costa Rica.Neither of which I regret. Both were totally worth it, but both brought up deeper questions and a certain amount of evaluating what I want my business to look like.But let’s not go sideways with that.This episode is how I realized I was more frustrated than I thought and how I found the much-needed clarity I didn’t even know I needed.Which will lead to more cash flow.Avoidance At Its FinestUnless I’m out of town or have other plans, I usually do a little work every Sunday just to get ahead of my week.I look at my calendar, plan my week out, and try to get ahead of a few things if I’m in the mood.This past Sunday started out like every other Sunday that I chose to work, but after my first cup of coffee, I couldn’t get into any sort of rhythm.I found myself going from thing to thing and then from one idea to the next.Then, I had the brilliant idea that I should “create a plan.”I know you know what kind of plan I’m talking about. One of those “big picture” plans that looks pretty, presents itself as the ultimate organization for a “beautiful mind,” and represents all things fabulous about your business.But in reality… it’s just a HUGE distraction.It’s the epitome of activity disguising itself as productivity.Even though I wasn’t sure what to do next, there was no fooling me this time. I knew that would be a waste of time, and I wouldn’t be any clearer on what was going on.So… what did I do?I stepped away from everything for a while.Then it hit me.I didn’t need to make a plan to accomplish everything; I needed to do a brain dump, pick my top 3 priorities, and then make a list of things I could “put aside” for a while.Here’s what that looked like:Here are the categories of my brain dump:WebsiteContentHigh LevelPaid TrafficCoursesCoachingCommunityPrioritiesHopefully this won’t be too boring, but I’m going to share what I scribbled under each of these and will go into more detail in the podcast, and then I’ll explain the three priorities.Website:Switch to my new theme (Kadence, which I LOVE)Finish copyAdd shopUpdate coaching & courses pagesNew tools & resource pageCheck SEO & Google indexing, update older content for SEO (if relevant to current content)ContentPodcast: schedule the special series interviews, get a few episodes aheadNewsletter: update posts on website with featured images, VA adding to Medium, content flywheel (for promotion), add Content Snacks segmentBlog: 2 posts a month, add relevant content to Medium with CTAYouTube: Add podcast playlist, get videos up (have a backlog, can now schedule these). Start testing newsletter as video.Social media: Focus on 2 platforms, schedule time weekly for getting content scheduled, Missingletter campaigns for backlog.Everything Is Content: Finish ebookHighLevelFinish writing follow-up sequencesUpdate CommunityMove calendar from Zcal to HighLevel – create automations for remindersSet up e-com for plannerCoursesWhen follow-ups are done, promote in this order:Hit SendList ExplosionConversations with ChatGPTEverything is Content (when ready)CoachingUpdate coaching page (copy and layout)SPARK Collective: Regroup, update community – what does this look like?Offer Email Coaching (one on one)Focus sessions: New name? Update copyEmailKeep working on move from ConvertKit to beehiivSimplify automations & segmentsFinish by first week in February (write the post on the move second week in Feb)Relaunch imperfectPaid TrafficGet power content and offers up week of January 21st (Laurel Portié)Ads to create:Everything Is ContentCoaching (goal: 6-10 coaching clients max)PrioritiesSite moveAds runningPromote coachingAll three of these relate directly, or in the case of the website move, indirectly to cash flow.

Choose one primary marketing objective.And it should be email; the rest is just icing on the cake.But, before we get into that…One thing that has me really excited about the New Year and 2024, in general, is that there seems to be a broad desire in the marketing space for things to change.Hallelujah!A few things have contributed to this.The last 3+ years have been a little nuts across the globe, which in turn has made people feel weary. Of course, it’s not all been gloom and doom, even if we have to make a conscious effort to seek out what’s good (which is totally worth it).But I think we can all agree that it’s “been a lot.”In terms of the digital marketing/creator space, the bottom line is that the space has matured.People are more educated about how everything works; they’re burnt out from hype promises, big launches, and the idea that you have to strive towards millions (and no judgment if that’s what you want, ya’ girl does, but you won’t see me driving any lambos or posting pictures of mansions).With a massive distrust of government and media, we’re learning to rely on ourselves.Which is a beautiful thing because that’s where real strength comes from.I’ve seen a lot of New Year’s posts about people wanting to remove things as opposed to “kicking ass and taking names” (something I’ve said myself on more than one occasion).Every year, I choose a new word. I chose my word for 2024 in December of last year. This is something that’s sacred to me and isn’t something that I have any desire to share, but rest assured it’s a positive word.This year, I’ve also chosen a “money” word.I was listening to a podcast episode with Kendall Summerhawk yesterday, and she explained how she does this and what her word is/has been. She suggested the first word that comes to mind (and it’s ONE word, not a phrase or sentence).The first word that came to mind for me?EaseWhich is something I want across all areas of my life.You might be thinking that this is something most people want – and to a certain extent, I agree. Of course, most people want more ease.But more often than not, they don’t want to change anything or do anything to achieve it.My therapist said she read something that said that 90% of people don’t want to change. 🤯Which is a little mind-blowing to me.When you’re hardwired or have spent the last 30 years constantly learning and growing, it’s a hard concept to grasp.At the same time, I get it. Unless you’ve realized there is another way to do things (to live, to be, to feel, to earn, etc.), how do you know what’s possible?This is why I’ve started signing off my emails with “Stay curious.”Most entrepreneurs I know are curious, they do want something different or they wouldn’t be in business for themselves. And now even the ‘different’ looks different.Back to ease and how that translates to money.For as long as I can remember, money has felt hard for me.My parents raised my siblings and me with incredible work ethics (and were both hard workers their whole lives. My dad still has a hard time doing “nothing”).I had no other concept of earning or having money other than you had to “work hard.”No one taught us (or them) about compound interest, investments, and the role money played in our lives (and here I am, at 53, doing a deep dive on ALL of this).It’s not that any of these are new concepts to me at this stage in my life, but I guess we don’t “get it” until we get it. 😉When I had a job, I maxed my 401k and did “all the things” I was supposed to.But unless you see that there’s another way to do things or have a strong enough “why” for making change, it’s probably not going to happen.The two things that shifted everything for me were:When my therapist said I needed to stop being a victim when it comes to money (ouch! But also, AMEN!)Listening to Tori Dunlap’s “Financial Feminist” and hearing her say that the best way to fight the patriarchy was for women to be financially independent and earn LOTS of moneyThe Power of Reframing ThingsLearning to reframe our thoughts and beliefs is one of the most powerful things you can do. It also comes back to taking complete and total responsibility for everything in your life, which I talked about in episode 125.This is the ultimate freedom.My first introduction to this was many years ago when I heard Dr. Wayne Dyer say, “Change your thoughts, change your life.”Which is also an incredible book.And there are TONS of books on Amazon that can help with this (or find an amazing mentor like I have). A quick Google search of “best book on reframing thoughts and beliefs,” and you’re off to the races.So, how do you reframe your thoughts and beliefs in your business?The simplest way to start is to take inventory.Make a list of things you’d like to change. Things that you know, if you worked on, would make a difference.One of the best examples, and one I’ve heard SO many times (or a variation thereof), is, “I’m not a good writer, I don’t like writing, I don’t want to write.”And at the risk of sounding like a completely heartless human, if that’s a cross you’re willing to die on, then you probably shouldn’t have an online business.I don’t care what niche or market you’re in or what your skill set is.You can’t grow an online business without writing.You have to do the difficult thing and practice. Start writing, take a course, create content, and pick a social platform where you can be consistent.A belief I’ve had for far too long is I don’t like doing Facebook ads. Correction: I don’t like being the one to create, set up, and manage Facebook ads.I LOVE Facebook ads because I know firsthand that they work. Maybe not on the first go, but they work.So, I’ve had to make a conscious choice that I’m going to master them this year. As much as I love creating content (and will continue to do), paid traffic is like pouring gas on a fire.This also means EASE.The ease is the end goal, and paid traffic is the means to that goal.Will it be easy while I’m doing it? It’s probably not as easy as I’d like, but eventually, it will be.It also means having a well-oiled machine running in the background, driving traffic, leads, and sales.OK., what does all of this have to do with picking ONE primary marketing objective that should be email?Everything.Making Email Your One Primary Marketing ObjectiveLike I’ve said many times in the past, my biggest regret in my business is not starting email marketing sooner.I started my business in 2008 and it wasn’t until 2016 that I made the decision that I was going to figure it out.Best. Thing. Ever.There are plenty of nuances and ways I can improve – so it’s always something I’m working on. I’ve also had different times in my life personally that affected the way I was able to show up. No biggie, life happens.Once you have the skill and understand the power of email marketing you can pick up when you need to.Do yourself that favor, and even if you’ve let it slide or been MIA – it’s OK. Get back at it.All activities should lead to this one primary marketing objective.Here’s what I mean:Podcasting => Include a CTA for people to get on your listYouTube => Include a CTA & link in the descriptionSocial Profiles => ALL links should lead to your primary opt-inSocial content => Wherever you include a link to your own content, make sure that content has an opt-inBlog posts/Medium/Substack/beehiiv => All should have a link to your primary opt-inI’m probably missing something, but you get the point.As I was writing this episode, I reached out to a dear friend who does social media (for clients, teaches it, etc.) and asked her if she had any sort of social media audit. This then led me to do a quick search and found a free one from Hootsuite (I haven’t looked at them in years).I’m still hoping my friend has one I can share, but until then, here’s the article on Hootsuite: How to Run the Easiest Social Media Audit [FREE TEMPLATE].This might be the scenario of “which came first, the chicken or the egg,” – but you should have a current lead magnet, follow-up sequence, and low front-end offer in place when you start this.All of these should solve a problem for your ideal subscriber/customer, and the low front-end offer should be the next logical step for them to take after consuming your lead magnet.That being said, if you have something you can use now (like a newsletter) that serves the same audience, don’t wait until you have all of this in place.Start where you are with what you have.There are a lot of factors that make up all of this, so don’t worry if it takes you longer than you’d like. Just commit to doing it (and ideally, set a deadline. I’m a huge fan of accountability, which is why I make announcements or share with people who will be direct with me.The best way to start this is to keep it simple.And then you have to be patient.Create the process for ongoing sharing, publishing, and promoting, and pay attention to what’s working.Even if you only have three people on your email list… start emailing.Those three people gave you their name and email and they matter.Be transparent; let them know you’re new-ish to email marketing and would love their feedback.You’re going to make mistakes; links won’t work, and you’ll have misspellings or grammatical errors – no biggie. We all do it (also why it’s good to always send a test email to yourself first).Wouldn’t you rather ‘learn as you go’ with a small list than a big list?The Magic of Email Marketing and the Ease it CreatesThere is nothing, and I mean nothing, that beats sending an email and making sales. Especially when you’re off doing other things.Who doesn’t love seeing an email that says “notification of payment” in their inbox? 🤔More ways to think about email marketing:It’s a relationship builder: Not every email has to sell. The more often you email (I’m a fan of “almost daily emails), the more your subscribers feel they know you.It’s also content: I’ve published plenty of broadcast emails (I call these story-based emails) as blog posts and then created a social campaign around that post.It keeps you top of mind: How many times have you unsubscribed from an email list because it’s been so long since you heard from the sender that you don’t know who they are or remember signing up? (and if you’ve been this sender, let it go and move on).It’s a great testing ground: Once you’ve found a consistent email rhythm that works for you and your list, start asking questions. Create polls, ask for feedback, etc. It’s also a great way to test the content your subscribers like most.Email marketing is the traffic you control (unlike paid traffic – I think Russell Brunson originally said this).Unlike the social media platforms, which, quite frankly, all suck and have issues (in terms of who owns them, how they’re run, privacy issues, etc.), YOU get to control the narrative and relevancy with email.We’re entering an election year in the US, so we’ll probably see an increase in paid traffic costs at some point (at least based on previous years), so do everything you can now to make sure you’ve built a solid foundation for your business.Email marketing needs to be a part of that.My Email Marketing Plan for 2024:Make the move from ConvertKit to beehiivNew lead magnet and follow-sequence for “Everything Is Content”Continue with the weekly edition of ‘the SPARK‘ on Thursday, adding in two “Weekend Editions” a monthPre & post-marketing for each issue of the newsletter for lead generationStart adding in more conditional personalization as available in beehiivImplement a paid traffic campaign for the new lead magnetFind/connect with other female marketers who serve the same audience and do one or two email swaps a monthTest running a giveawayI don’t have an exact plan on what this looks like – meaning, I’m not stopping everything I’m doing to implement everything immediately.I’ve got three phases for moving to beehiiv (and, of course, with technology, you never know), and I’m finishing up the new Everything Is Content lead magnet.If you’re new to email marketing, instead of creating a massive plan, how about creating a “Starting Plan?”Pick three things that you know will make a difference and start.With the changes and focus in my own business, I know there will be things I’m doing this year that are tests, and ideally, one by one, I’ll remove the things I don’t enjoy and/or aren’t bringing me the ROI I had hoped for.Regardless of what I remove, email marketing will always be my primary marketing objective.

Lessons Learned and Finding My Voice Again resonated much more than doing a typical year-in-review post (at least how I’ve done them in the past).And for what it’s worth, that’s kind of the theme for this next year: both with business and my life.In other words, doing things differently.Initially, I was excited to do a year-in-review podcast. I’ve always enjoyed doing my look back on the year and seeing what worked, what didn’t, and how that would impact the coming year.So much happened in 2023 that much of it feels a bit like a blur.In so many ways, the year really felt like “a lot.”The contrast I experienced in moving back to California from Costa Rica felt overwhelming at times.The first contrast might seem obvious, and that was the weather.Having grown up and spent the majority of my adult life in the Bay Area, I didn’t think it would have such an impact on me, but it did. It didn’t help that I moved back during a crazy, heavy winter with massive snow (I’ve been at my Dad’s since moving back, and it’s about an hour southeast of Lake Tahoe).Beyond my short stint and one winter in Boise, Idaho, I’ve never lived in the snow.I have zero intention of doing that again when I leave here.I also forgot how incredibly dry it is here. Costa Rica is humid, but it’s not like Orlando. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I acclimated to that climate after a while. Not to mention, my skin felt fantastic.As much as I missed the seasons (to the extent that Northern California actually has seasons), winter is the season I like the least.Snow is pretty, and I love how quiet it makes everything, but I’d be fine if my only experience of snow moving forward were a weekend visit.The Biggest Adjustment of AllPeople.My Dad will be 80 this year, and his health isn’t all that great. You wouldn’t look at him and think so, but he has a handful of issues (his heart is the main issue) that are somewhat serious. His health and missing family are the primary reason I moved back.The secondary reason was that the last year there was more trying than I realized. I had visitors every month for nine months, with only one month break during that time.As much as I was super appreciative that people came to visit, it interrupted my life and work in a way that impacted my income and my energy (again, hadn’t really realized this while I was experiencing it). All my guests were people who were close to me, so it wasn’t like they were difficult.This just validated what I already knew about myself, and am going to be firm about in the future. I require a good chunk of time to myself. Boundaries are key for me – regardless of whether they make sense to other people or not.It took a few “come to Jesus” moments with my Dad also for him to “get” that just because I’m at home working doesn’t mean I’m available for midday chats, errands, questions, or whatever else he thinks of. That being said, it’s a good thing I did come back.We had three trips to the ER this year (all via an ambulance) because of his health. My siblings are both two hours away so my Dad would have been on his own until they could have come up here. I had given myself until the end of June (2024) with him, hoping that he’d start thinking about moving.It looks like that might be coming to fruition this year (he’s started looking at retirement communities and downsizing the house). We’ll start looking with him when Spring rolls around. In the meantime, I’m on a mission to help him get rid of things, so when the time does come, it’s not a massive undertaking (my kids are grateful I’m somewhat of a minimalist).I’ve also spent a lot more time with family and friends since coming back, which has been great.It also means a decent amount of traveling down to the East Bay (Bay Area), which is a four-hour round trip. I try to pack in as much as I can when I go down (I stay at my sister’s), but then that means being away from my own space, as small as it is) every month for a chunk of time.No bueno.Fortunately, this gave me a break from my Dad and him from me (although he’s one of those people who loves company no matter what he’s doing). He had a few trips throughout the year; I had a couple of trips (Oregon in May and Costa Rica in October), so that helped keep me sane. I realized how much that helped when neither of us had any trips in November and December, and I was ready to find a cave to hibernate in. 🤣Being close to family and friends is a gift, and I’m super grateful for it, but with it comes a feeling of obligation.After this Christmas, I have definitely decided that I’ll be doing holidays differently. Not sure exactly what that looks like, but it has to be simpler.Most of my friends live in the East Bay as well, so when I try to time seeing them with trips down, which is also means staying longer (and lots of driving, which isn’t really a big deal because I don’t drive that much working from home).I definitely felt more stress this last year than I had the three years prior (one year in Boise and almost two years in Costa Rica). That was the first time I had lived alone, and it was/is BLISS.I honestly think every woman, if given the opportunity, should live alone. I know it’s not for everyone, but I can truly say that I never felt lonely or wished someone was living with me.Because of the stress I experienced, I ended up getting sick within a month of coming back and then got Shingles in April (which sucks, and yes, I will be getting the vaccination). Fortunately, I didn’t have a severe case of Shingles, but I’m still dealing with nerve issues).Personal Lessons LearnedI need more time to myself, with zero explanations or justifications. I said yes to things I wanted to say no to or felt bad about saying no. Fuck that.I definitely want to be closer to amenities. My dad’s (parent’s) house is beautiful and quiet, but it’s a good 20+ minutes to a decent grocery store. On the one hand, it’s kinda nice that there aren’t a bunch of conveniences around (i.e., you make do with what you have); on the other hand, if I’m going to live without conveniences, I may as well be in Costa Rica. 😉Boundaries are EVERYTHING. Trite as it is, the old adage of putting your own oxygen mask on first is key.Alignment has to come first. This means meditation, exercise, good sleep, and people that fuel that deeper part of my soul.2023 was really about regrouping, rebuilding, and getting clear on what I want my life to feel and look like for ME.My thoughts about my life and business have changed multiple times over the past year. Not because I’ve changed my mind, but with time and experience, I got clearer on what works/doesn’t work for me.I’m still not sure exactly where my next spot will be (leaning again towards Auburn, CA, which is above Sacramento and below Lake Tahoe), but you never know. I’ll do some more exploring when Spring rolls around.The biggest takeaway, which is the same for my business, is that it’s time to do things differently. I’ve said on more than one occasion that the things I’ve been doing weren’t working… it only makes sense to do something different.A Look Back on Business and Finding My Voice AgainOne thing I did when I started planning this post was look back at my Google Calendar for the last year.There were way too many things on in that:Weren’t relevant all year (i.e., too many trying new things)Weren’t things I enjoyedWeren’t relevant to my focusAll of that changed when I went down the rabbit hole with Dr. Benjamin Hardy, his book “Be Your Future Self NOW” and his books with Dan Sullivan, specifically, “10X is Easier than 2X.”I talked a lot about those books in previous podcasts and my newsletter, but it’s the first time the idea of simplifying (i.e., doing LESS in business), resonated on such a deep level with me.I have zero problems doing the work or putting in the time, but I was spreading myself too thin. I’d love to think I’m a fabulous multi-tasker, but I’m not. Splitting my attention and energy only creates a longer to-do list.I’m proud of the things I did accomplish:Still publishing the newsletter, haven’t missed a week! 163 issues to date – which means 163 weeks in a row! DAYUM!The podcast is back on track.Tried a few new things: ChatGPT workshop & coaching (still love this tool)Kept up with my mini-masterminds/accountability I have with friendsHosted my first in-person retreat in Costa Rica this past fallLaunched a community – even with a rocky start – I’m 100% committed to thisAll that being said, the one word I can use to describe the last year is “incohesive.”Nothing felt connected or part of a bigger plan.Now it does.I also want more downtime in my business. Meaning, more time for learning, creating, and exploring how to go deeper with the things I already do or want to improve on.That might not sound like downtime, but it is.I will also be much more strict about my no calls on Monday and Friday. After having set my out-of-office autoresponder for Christmas (almost two weeks!) and nothing fell apart, I will absolutely be implementing and maintaining stricter boundaries with my schedule and time.Finding My Voice AgainI can’t quite pinpoint when I felt like I’d stopped using my voice in my business, but if were to guess, I’d say it was around 2017. I had been going through some real personal challenges, and they continued for a handful of years.Challenges with my son and then losing my Mom were more than I could handle, even if I hadn’t quite realized it at the time. My time in Boise and Costa Rica was part of my healing. Grief impacts us in ways that we’re not even aware of until after the fact.It’s hard to use your voice, which requires a certain degree of vulnerability, when you’re raw, grieving, and weary.That’s what the last few years have been.I’ve gotten through it with the help of my mentor, the people I trust to hold that space for me, and a commitment to myself.This started with letting go of expectations.My own expectations and the perceived expectations of other people. In other words, the BS in my head.There are so many rules about how things should and shouldn’t be done online that it’s easy to lose site of what you’re doing and why you’re doing it in the first place.The more I tried to do what I thought I “should” do, the less fun I was having.And the more my content production slowed down.Nothing sounded like me, nothing felt like me, and trying to create content based on a niche or to appease the search engines was wreaking havoc on my mind and soul.I think it was probably around the time Roe V. Wade was overturned in the US that I got pissed off and realized I couldn’t keep quiet anymore.And no, this isn’t about politics, but I realized I had been trying to keep everyone happy and not ruffle feathers.Hear my heart… I’m not interested in throwing anyone under the bus, calling people out by name, or causing controversy.What I am interested in is speaking my truth.There’s massive truth to hitting 50, realizing there’s likely less time left in front of you than behind you, and there are things you’re not willing to put up with anymore. Such as:Caring what other people think (a process for sure, but I definitely care a whole lot less than I used to)Putting other people’s needs before my ownDoing things the way they’ve always been done just to keep people happyWhat this means for my businessFirst and foremost, a whole helluva lot more fun.

Do you want to Grow and scale in 2024?This episode is for you.I know you might be thinking, “Um… duh Kim, who doesn’t.”But I will take this in a different direction than you might expect. At least compared to trite advice, you might see popping up at this time of year.Like everything I’m doing moving forward, this episode is going to be a mix of things that speak to both the tangible (tasks) and intangible (thoughts, beliefs, mindset).I’ll share the only way to grow and scale in 2024; then I’m going to share a story with you that was the inspiration for this episode.The point of sharing the inspiration is to piggyback on the last episode, “Everything Is Content, 2.0.” I want you to start finding content ideas and inspiration from all areas of your life.So first, here’s the ONLY way to grow and scale in 2024:Take complete and total responsibility for everything in your life.Doesn’t sound very exciting, does it?Contrary to how that might feel when you hear it, I promise you that when you truly step into owning responsibility for everything in your life, it creates massive freedom, which then opens all kinds of doors.Besides showing you that “Everything Is Content,” the story that led to the inspiration for this episode is also an example of me walking the walk.Because it’s going to be much less about the contrast that showed up and much more about how I caught myself playing the victim, feeding old beliefs, and then stopping that bullshit as soon as I realized what I was doing.Here’s what happened.I recently had a conflict with someone I love very much.It went sideways, some heated things were said, and then a resolution was reached (sounds so formal, but truly, the details aren’t what matters here).Like all of us, I did the normal regurgitation of things in my head.You know what I’m talking about… “I should have said this, yea, but, if only, blah, blah, blah.”After having returned home from the holiday and a fairly good night’s sleep, although not enough, I found myself rehashing things within minutes of waking up.Two things to note here: even though I was home and had slept pretty well, it was less sleep than I needed, and I was pretty worn out from the previous four days. Because I woke up earlier than I wanted to, in some ways, I ‘woke up on the wrong side of the bed.’The house was pretty cold (52), so I got to work to get a fire going right away after getting the kettle going for my coffee (I use a French Press and enjoy this slower process of brewing my coffee in the morning).While I was doing all of this, my mind started going a million miles a minute.Replaying the conflict, wishing I had said things differently (or not at all), and really working myself up.It only took me about 30 minutes, but it was like someone had splashed cold water on my face.I instantly thought, “What the hell are you doing to yourself?”Which was then followed by a firm and resounding “Fuck this!”I realized how quickly my ego had jumped in to take the wheel, and I was feeding that little shit as though I was a helpless victim to what was going on in my own mind (humans really are fascinating creatures!).I’ll come back to this realization in a moment, but before that, I’m going to get a little meta here, and I want to share why this victim realization was so powerful to me.The first time anyone called me a victim was in 2011.It was my therapist/mentor (who I still speak with/work with today), and while I don’t remember the exact context of the conversation (it had something to do with losing my husband eight years prior at 32) and she lovingly said something along the lines of me not being a victim (because I was acting like one) and my mind was blown.A victim is the last thing I would have ever thought of myself as but here it was.Obviously, losing my husband in a car accident was something that happened to me. But eight years after his death, I was letting it define me.I was letting it be my whole story, not just part of my story.I couldn’t control what happened to me, but I could certainly control who I wanted to be at that point in my life. And I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that I wanted to move through my life differently.This is when the “real work” with her began.It’s also one of the first times I can remember someone being so direct with me (I’m sure there were other times in my life, but I was truly ready to hear it when she said it).I also love & respect her and know that she always has my back, so as hard as it might be to hear things sometimes, I know it’s always for my highest good.I also have plenty of evidence that when I take those things to heart and consciously choose to shift the behavior, a whole new world opens up. It’s kind of like leveling up in a video game.The second time she told me I was being a victim was just a couple of months ago.And it was about money (which is also why I’m going to be digging much deeper into money, women, and entrepreneurship on the podcast. I’m doing the work on a whole new level with money, and I 100% believe in the power of sharing and not letting old beliefs dictate my behavior).I’m paraphrasing here, but she basically said I needed to stop being a victim when it comes to money (It was SO powerful to hear, and it resonated on a very deep level, so I kind of don’t remember what else she said).Since then, what has shown up and what I’m doing has been awe-inspiring.This is what happens when we take complete and total responsibility for our lives.Back to the realization from my ego-driven ranty morning.As soon as I caught myself and made a conscious decision not to feed this old story anymore, I felt like I’d had a shot of adrenaline.I instantly felt empowered.With only a few days left of the year and some much-needed downtime before returning to a normal work schedule, I was recommitted to these days being exactly what I needed.And not letting drama or bullshit lower my vibration and, yes, fall into the old victim mentality.Here are a few other little epiphanies that came out of this realization:The conflict happened because I was out of alignment. I hadn’t been meditating or setting boundaries about what I wanted my holiday to look and feel like.I know what I need to do to keep my peace of mind, but yet I fell into old familial expectations and habits so as not to disappoint other people (see the quote below by Oriah Mountain Dreamer).Because I was out of alignment, I lowered my own energy and vibration to meet people where they were and essentially threw myself under the bus.My initial reaction when I woke up and caught myself rehashing everything is all part of being human. We all do things we wish we hadn’t, no big deal.Here’s the quote by Oriah Mountain Dreamer that I’ve shared a few times in my newsletter and probably on the podcast at some point, too (this is something my therapist shared with me years ago):I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself. If you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul.ORIAH MOUNTAIN DREAMERHere’s how you can connect the dots to all of this in your business (and these are just a few examples. My suggestion would be that you do a little free writing and come up with your own that are specific to you, your business, and your life).Doing the WorkThis is as simple as being brutally honest with yourself.Remove the shame, judgment, and right/wrongness of this look in the mirror.Are you doing what you know you should be doing?Creating, publishing, and promoting your content consistentlyGoing deeper with your craft, there’s no such thing as “done” with digital marketing.Sticking with a schedule that supports your future self, not the one that only does things when you’re “in the mood.”Dedicating Time to New SkillsUntil you can hire people to do the things you don’t want to do or enjoy doing, you’re going to have to do it yourself.I’ve shared publicly that I’m going to master paid traffic in 2024. This doesn’t mean I will have learned all I need to know or be the best at it, but it’s going to be a regular marketing channel for leads and sales by the end of the year.This means that in January I’ll start implementing and am going to keep at it until it’s working. Once it’s working, I’ll focus on learning to increase ad spend profitably (if only it were as easy as just increasing your budget, but it’s not).I’m also going to be publishing videos consistently, so this is going to have to be scheduled weekly as well.Both of these things may take longer than I’d like, but at the end of next year I’ll be incredibly proud that I stuck with it and have results.Taking Yourself SeriouslyIt’s been a long time since I worked for a company or had a “job” (2007). It wasn’t the last job I had, but the one prior, where I gave SO much of myself to the company. Worked extra hours, did overnight shifts during the holidays, traveled, and basically did whatever it took to be an exemplary employee.And for what?I was in management, so it wasn’t like I was increasing my income with all of this extra time I was putting in.This doesn’t mean that when you have a job, you half-ass it. But there’s a difference between doing good work and the job you were hired to do and giving your life to a company that would replace you or let you go in a hot minute if it suited them.So ask yourself, if I’m willing (or was willing) to do this for a company, why on earth won’t I do whatever it takes to create the life and business I truly desire?Taking yourself seriously means expecting more from yourself where you know you’re able to.It also means making sure you’re supporting your health and well-being with rest, exercise, and things that fuel you outside of your business so you can stay engaged and excited.You’re the only one who knows what you’re truly capable of.You’re also the only one who knows what it is you really want.And newsflash… it’s perfectly OK to change your mind about what you really want. You don’t owe anyone an explanation or justification.I know as I’ve gotten older, what I really want at this stage in my life versus even ten years ago looks completely different.This isn’t about changing your mind or even wanting more/less than you did before.It’s about living your life in a way that creates choice.Using Your VoiceThe best contribution you can give to the world is to show up uniquely as yourself. The world does not need more of the same.I don’t care what the topic is, but be YOU. Speak your truth.I recently saw a video of a woman on TikTok where she said she was done listening to male self-help authors or marketers after watching a video of Casey Neistat telling the story of having a child before he was twenty years old, then moving to New York to do whatever it took to get his business off the ground.Sleeping on friends’ couches, staying in a shelter, etc.He has split with his child’s mother, so he went to New York by himself.Sharing this part of the story, I bet every woman listening is wondering where his child was.His child was left with his mother, who would take full responsibility for their child by herself while he was off pursuing his dream.I have no idea if/what their arrangement was, but you get why this accomplishment feels a little “less than impressive” to women.I love everything about this video.I’ve been saying for years that before we take any advice to heart, we need to consider who controls the narrative.Which is why we need people to speak their truths.There are a LOT of narratives that need changing.All of these things will look different to different people.Maybe you need to…Finally, take a copywriting course to understand why your headlines fall flat.Start emailing your list – and/or finally putting list building at the top of your priority listDedicate extra time each week to scheduling social (this is a note to self here), and then schedule additional time for engagement.Start or restart your newsletter.Invest in paid traffic.Hire a coach.Start creating systems.Raise your prices.Show up more/different/consistently.You get the point.And before you jump into the New Year with plans to conquer the world and get better at everything you put on your list, pick three things and do them really well.I have stuck with my three things rule for seven months and am practically breaking my own arm, patting myself on the back for having stuck with it (this is part of my daily journaling habit).That doesn’t mean I only do three things, but I only have three priorities.And yes, sometimes I don’t always hit those three priorities, or life happens, and the day goes sideways. I don’t overthink this; I just put it on the list for the next day.Taking complete and total responsibility for everything in your life also means trusting yourself.When we take responsibility, what we’re really saying is, “Since I created this, I have the power to change it.”Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.At the end of the day, we have zero control over what anyone else thinks of us, believes, or how they behave.Taking responsibility is the ultimate key to freedom.

I came up with Everything Is Content back in 2016.I turned it into a hashtag: #everythingiscontent, and now you can find that hashtag used across social media. Was I the original creator of that hashtag? Who knows, but when I started using it, you couldn’t search it.I created it because I discovered how incredibly true it was.This was after I had been writing as The WordPress Chick for eight years and knew I was moving towards pivoting to my personal brand.Two primary factors contributed to growing my personal brand, even before I made it official. Both were because of writing:My podcast (The WPChick Podcast => The Kim Doyal Show)My ‘almost daily’ emailsI’m going to go more in-depth with both, so sit tight.I’ve said this before, and it’s a hill I’m willing to die on 👇:The BEST thing you can do to grow and scale your business online is to learn how to write and do it as often as possible.You don’t have to want to become a writer, but if you’re going to create the type of business that supports you without trading time for money, you need to create assets that work for you when you’re not working.In other words, content, courses, ads, etc.Even if you only want to produce audio or video content, you still need to know how to write compelling copy to attract the right people.Off the top of my head, here is where good writing comes into play online:Content (your website)EmailsSocial contentWebsite copySales page copyEmail sequencesCoursesPodcast posts (show notes)EngagementWorksheetsEbooksVideo headlines and descriptionsI’m sure I’m missing plenty on that list, but you cannot grow an online business without learning to write.Period.End of story.And if you’re listening to this and feeling resistance (i.e., maybe you’re feeling a bit pissy?), then it’s time to do a little entrepreneurial adulting and get really honest with yourself.How badly do you want this?In other words, are you willing to do the work?I’m not preaching hustle here; that’s not what I’m talking about.I mean, are you willing to get comfortable with being uncomfortable?I have yet to meet a single creator/entrepreneur who doesn’t experience fear.It’s part of the journey.I also haven’t met one who doesn’t have to write (even if you have a ghostwriter or your content is primarily audio and/or video, you still have to write headlines, captions, descriptions, etc.).When I was getting started, I had plenty of fear but was so ignorant of the entire online marketing space that it was much easier to stay out of my head. I wasn’t terribly worried about other people’s thoughts because I didn’t know many people online.Ignorance was bliss.As my business and brand grew, I worried a little more, but it wasn’t until I felt like I had to “niche” down that I started really getting in my head.I ranted quite a bit about this in episode 121, where I referenced Dan Koe’s video “The Most Profitable Niche Is You.So, instead of ranting more here (as fun as that can be), I want to give you a more straightforward guide on how to get started with “Everything Is Content, 2.0.”A quick backstory on Everything Is ContentI actually taught a workshop on this (it was a paid workshop, and yes, I’m doing a brand new and completely updated version of this in January 2024) because I was so passionate about it.I had begun using the Everything Is Content hashtag because of my ‘almost daily emails’ (I called them almost because I didn’t always send emails on the weekends).My ‘almost daily emails‘ was something I decided to do after having been a subscriber of Ben Settle’s for a year and watching how he did it (and because of that, I became a customer of his Email Players physical newsletter).I committed myself to figuring out email marketing regardless of the results. It’s the only thing I regret not starting sooner in my business.These were story-based emails with one call to action.The first month, it was crickets.In the second month, people started replying.In the third month, I realized I had tripled affiliate income for a product I used, talked about, and recommended.All through email.The funny thing is I had always considered myself a decent writer. I could write a paper in school and get an “A.”But learning how to write in your own voice (not many papers in college or even high school required the same skillset as writing online in your own voice) was a whole new ballgame.What made the almost daily emails easier to step into was that I had been writing my podcast posts for a few years at that point.Interview posts were written after the fact, but because of the way I do my solo shows (going off script quite a bit), I knew that I needed to write the post out first and then use it as a guide (not a script, I never read this).Then, once I started using Grammarly, it became clear to me that I never paid attention to grammar in school (and to this day, I wonder how the bucket I ever got an ‘A’ on any paper 🤣).Sidenote: I have probably learned more about grammar writing online with the help of Grammarly than I ever did when I was in school. Every ounce of my being believes it’s because I enjoy what I’m doing and constantly want to improve my craft.Back to my podcast posts.Writing the podcast post out before recording helps me clarify what I’m trying to convey.Sometimes, I start with one idea, and through the writing, it pivots into something else entirely. I’m learning to edit my content to ensure that I’m not simply treating the podcast like a personal diary (which I’ll admit, I do pretty frequently and have been told that people enjoy).Learning to edit your own thoughts is a little tricky.Sometimes, I ignore Grammarly’s suggestions because even though it suggests a more concise way to say something, it’s not how I would talk if I were talking in person to someone.What’s most important to me when I write online is that it sounds like me.This is why I hate templates that suggest I speak in platitudes or definitive ideas that don’t resonate with me.And quick rant (I know, I said I wasn’t going to rant), but you absolutely, 100% HAVE to consider the creator of ‘said templates.’I’ve purchased way too many templates and frameworks from creator bro’s who grew a brand on Twitter with this type of writing.They’re probably 25 years younger than me, targeting a different audience, have different desires, and have a completely different perspective.None of which is right or wrong, good or bad.But it’s like forcing a square peg into a round hole.It’s NOT going to work.Every time I tried to use these templates, I cringed.And this isn’t to say that templates aren’t a great starting point – they absolutely are.But consider the source.And more importantly, take the time to decide if the structure of the templates resonates with you. If it doesn’t, no amount of trying to put your own spin on it will work.Just do the work for yourself in the first place, or find someone who has templates that feel more like you.OK, let’s move on.How to Get Started with Everything Is Content, 2.0First, I’m going to predict something for 2024.We’re going to see many more creators sharing personal stories, journeys, challenges, and triumphs that have nothing to do with their businesses (directly, anyway).To quote Dr. Seuss:“Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than you.”Dr. SeussAs the old marketing saying goes, people want to do business with people they know, like, and trust.There’s much less trust in gurus who sell $2k+ courses while never showing up once, outside of occasionally gracing you with their presence in a Facebook group or a once-in-a-lifetime call.I also think it’s crystal clear that there is no “one way” to do anything.There are far too many people who have built successful (i.e., profitable, not just status/influencer) businesses in a way that works for them:no social mediaonly podcastingonly YouTubeonly writingone productemail onlyYou get the point.You do you.Back to Everything Is Content.Embrace the Freedom of Content Creation: Seriously. Don’t start out (or restart) with some dialed-in strategy when you don’t know what people want or what works. You have to test and try things. There are so many places to create and publish online. Break free from traditional norms and explore various topics, especially if it’s a personal brand. Craft your own niche.Share Personal Journeys and Stories: This led me to create #everythingiscontent. The more I shared my personal journey, the more my audience grew. It creates genuine engagement, conversations, and authentic connections.Practice in Public: We’ve all heard the term “Build in Public” – and it’s great. But not everyone wants to commit to “building” something. We could split hairs here and say there’s not a big difference between practicing and building (aren’t you building an audience, a brand, etc. while you’re practicing?) – but using the word practice, specifically around content, implies two things:– commitment– consistencyIt takes some of the pressure off of the work you’re doing, needing to have a specific end result. Focus on getting better at your craft. This also reinforces that building a business online based on your created assets takes time.Inspiration, Strategy, and Actionable Advice: While figuring out what works, make sure your content combines each of these. You don’t want to do a bunch of “how to” content (unless your business model is affiliate marketing) for free because that can lead to an audience of freebie seekers. Create content based on the psychographics of your ideal customer/subscriber/client.For example: The qualities (psychographics), I look for are people who take responsibility, are willing to do the work, and want to have fun. They’re someone who wants to create their ideal life and live on their own terms. They’re willing to show up and be vulnerable.Linking Passion and Purpose: Don’t worry if you don’t have a “passion.” Think of passion as something you have to create what you want. I was passionate about starting an online business in 2008, even though I didn’t know what that would look like, because I wanted freedom. I never wanted to commute, work for someone else, and have my schedule dictated by a corporation.An easier way to think about this is to clarify your values.And side note: the more you “practice in public,” the sooner you’ll find what really lights you up. You’ll never know if you don’t start.Authenticity & Community Building: Personal brands, and dare I say small businesses (agencies, small teams), have to show up genuinely and authentically. We all feel like the word authentic is overused and possibly a little trite, but that doesn’t mean it’s invalid. It’s also vital that your community feels like they matter.Implement and Iterate: Taking action is key. Start by applying what resonates with you from the guide. It’s not about perfection; it’s about progress. Whether sharing a personal story, experimenting with different content formats, or engaging with your community, the focus should be consistent action. This step is about moving from theory to practice, embracing the learnings from each attempt, and continuously evolving your content strategy to better align with your goals and audience.So, there you have it.Some of that might feel like it’s a bit ‘intangible,’ but I assure you it’s not.Have you ever watched a YouTube video or listened to a podcast and the host or guest is saying something you’ve been thinking about, feeling, or even talking about for years?The only difference is they’ve published the thought or idea.Stop holding yourself back from saying and creating the things you want to create because you think it’s all been done, who am I do this, I’m not as good as ‘x’, etc.And if you’re concerned that Everything Is Content won’t work for your business or audience, let me ask you this:How’s the whole “niche” thing working for you right now? 🤔Do you feel inspired to create? Do you like creating content for the search engines? Do you have an email list of engaged subscribers who want to do business with you?I didn’t think so.One size does NOT fit all.And even though I doubt this needs repeating, I’ll say it anyway.Everything Is Content is not about thinking of as many random things as possible and seeing what works. It’s about pulling all of you into your business and expressing that through your content.As you start practicing this, you’ll find the intersection of where things overlap. Here’s a diagram of what my content topics are:So, the four primary topics of content are:Digital marketingEmail & content marketingMindsetEnergy & spiritualityMoney/ FinanceSharing what I’m learning, mindset around moneyHighlighting women I’m learning fromInspirationContinue amplifying womenSharing personal storiesThere will be more under each of these areas, but I’m going to start testing more and see what works.In many ways, I’ve been talking about a lot of this stuff for years, but in more of an indirect way.Not anymore.It’s time to take my own advice and #JustShowUP!