My friends and I recently revived something we used to do years ago.But first, a little backstory about these friends…These are my high school friends, and still, to this day, are near and dear to me. I’ve known one of them since kindergarten, another since 6th grade, and the rest are all from my freshman year in high school. So these are lifelong friends.By this stage in life, we’ve been through a lot together.Graduations, careers, marriages, children, loss, heartache, joy, moving… you name it.There have been times when we’ve been super close and incredibly active in one another’s lives and times when life was so busy that it felt like a challenge to have dinner together.This is just life.I get that, but I always miss them when I haven’t seen them in a while.So… the thing we recently revived was our “ornament exchange.”My Mom used to do this when I was a child, so in my early 20s, I started an ornament exchange with my girlfriends. The original ornament exchange was handmade ornaments; we made one for each person.This way, you’d leave with 6-10 ornaments, which was great when we were all starting our homes and didn’t have kids.As life got busier, we changed things up and would bring one nice ornament (and we started buying the ornaments).I don’t remember when we stopped doing this, but after finally getting together for dinner in October, we decided to revive it and make it happen.Even though not everyone could make it, it was soul-filling for me.However, I was struck by something.We did the normal catching up that you do when you haven’t seen each other in a while (although this was less catching up since we saw each other a couple of months ago), and then, as the night progressed, the conversations got deeper.I felt deep sadness for some of the things my friends shared.Partly because of what they had to go through (or are going through) but also because they hadn’t shared what they were experiencing during the most challenging part.And I know I’ve done the same thing.This is what being busy can do to us.And while I can’t speak for my friends, I’m sure there’s a piece of truth to this for them as well.And that is that you don’t want to ‘bother’ people when you’re in the middle of something challenging, especially if you haven’t talked to or seen them in a while.The crazy thing is that I know I could pick up the phone and call any of these women if I were in a crisis, and they’d all be there for me. No questions asked.And the same is true on my end.There is SO much power in sharing, being vulnerable, and telling our truths.The only way to do this is to get beyond ourselves… and remove the ego.This brings me to how this plays a significant role in our business and marketing.I talked with another friend I hadn’t talked to in over a year. This is a woman I connected with years ago online. She’s on my email list, worked with me, and bought some of my courses.Over the years, we became friends (this happens with many of my coaching clients).She’s in Europe; I’m in the States… It never ceases to amaze me that I have people I consider dear friends worldwide.Anyway, we’ve been friends for years, and she’s seen my transition from the WordPress Chick into my personal brand.She said something when we were talking that I realized was kind of a superpower of mine. She also said she uses me as inspiration on her own journey, which I know is part of my purpose in this lifetime (to inspire).She’s in a place where she’s pivoting her business and said that I was constantly pivoting (and bear with me here – I’ll explain more of my pivots in a second), and I never seemed to care.This idea that we’re supposed to pick one thing and only do that forever is nonsense.I talked about this in the episode where I was inspired by Dan Koe (episode 121; you can listen here).This idea that we should pick one thing, focus only on that, and never veer off course or talk about anything else is silly.We’re multi-dimensional people with varying interests.Now, before you think I’m off my rocker here and am telling people to create an ‘Everything but the kitchen sink’ kind of business, I’m not.What I am saying is that it’s OK to talk about and create content that, on the surface, might not feel like it’s relevant to your niche.What does this have to do with your ego in marketing?Everything.What gets in the way of trying things out in marketing is fear, which is 100% ego.When I think back to when I was a child and had zero hesitation about trying things I was interested in, I remind myself that we’re here to create and that the adults (and the world), could use a little more childlike curiosity.We’re supposed to try, learn, grow, and make mistakes.That doesn’t stop because we grow up, become adults, start a business, and “choose a niche.”Most of my interests overlap in one way or another, and at the end of the day, they are all part of my creativity, drive, and what inspires me.This is why I hate “niche down” advice.I spent ten years in a niche (WordPress) and felt incredibly stuck towards the end.Which is why I pivoted to my personal brand.I have zero regrets or judgment about having niched down with WordPress because everything I did was new, and I was learning as I went.Which is the beauty of where we’re at today.The internet marketing/creator space isn’t “new” anymore; making money online has become much more common for many people (beyond people who are hard-wired to be entrepreneurs); side hustle is a widely understood phrase.People are fed up with corporations, commuting, and basically working hard to make other people money.I know that’s a huge generalization, but it’s more common than not.More people would probably like to join the ranks of self-employment, but it’s scary AF when you have a family, mortgage, and other responsibilities.Then, some people also prefer a steady income, benefits, etc. (not that any of that is guaranteed either).Back to why I hate ‘niche down’ advice.This makes getting started incredibly difficult when you’re unsure what it is you want to ‘niche’ into.You have to test and try things to see what resonates, what sticks, what you’re good at, and where the people are you want to help.The same is true when you want to pivot.Without testing the waters, you’re more or less guessing.Although I will say that when a ‘guess’ comes from deep within and is an intuitive nudge instead of a thought of ‘maybe this will work’ – sometimes that’s all we need.I read an article this week by my friend, Jamie Northrup, of “Minimalist Hustler” (I highly recommend you subscribe; it’s short, sweet & to the point every day).He ran a personal challenge and test for himself in November (2023), which he published on Twitter and Medium (daily, I believe) to see which platform was better for growing his newsletter.The good news?Medium won out.Read “Is X (Twitter) Better Than Medium To Grow Your Newsletter?” here.This is good news to me for two reasons:I prefer writing long-form content. Whenever I write tweets, I feel like I’m pontificating, creating platitudes, or talking ‘at’ people. I know, I know… there are courses and tools to help one get better at writing tweets. But if I enjoy long-form more, wouldn’t it make more sense to focus on getting better at writing long-form?Elon Musk drives me crazy. I waffle back and forth between cutting off my nose to spite my face and supporting my convictions (this is called being a human being). I’ve been on Twitter since 2008… I may just keep ‘pushing content’ to Twitter, but I think I will follow in Jamie’s footsteps and test Medium vs. Twitter (see? I don’t even want to call it X).Let me be clear about one thing:Nothing in me says you should create a ‘catch-all’ website for a business. Unless your focus truly is ‘lifestyle,’… it won’t serve you to create content on multiple topics that are entirely unrelated.What I am saying is that not only is it ‘OK’ to pull different aspects of who you are and what you like into your business content, but it’s imperative these days.No one knows what SEO will look like now that AI has entered the picture. My content started slowing down immensely when I felt I had to create based on keywords or my niche. 🤮And c’mon… ranking for things like content marketing, email marketing, and newsletters?Good luck.I already hated doing keyword research before AI… let alone now.Vulnerability in Marketing is MagicCircling back to the story I opened with about getting together with my friends.There’s another element to that story that left me with an overwhelming feeling of needing to make a conscious decision to stay in better communication with my friends.There are two sides to this coin:One side is that everyone is busy. That’s just a fact about life today – we’d be here all day if I went down the rabbit hole of life before technology and how we seemed to make more time for people (then again, much of my adult life has included technology).The other side is that we can choose to stay in touch. Just like we make conscious decisions to exercise, brush our teeth, journal, travel, go to a movie, whatever… I think it’s vital that we make the time to stay in touch with people we love.After this last get-together, I promised myself that I would do this.With the two friends who are going through challenging situations, I made a point of reaching out via text.It was nothing major, just a simple acknowledgment that I knew they were going through some difficult times, had a lot on their plates, and I was here for them.Both were super grateful.I also always make a point of telling my girlfriends how much I love them.Now that we’re all in midlife, there’s a different level of compassion and empathy for one another that I think only comes with age.The more vulnerable you can be with the people who love you, the easier it is to start being a little vulnerable in business.And it truly is magical.Here’s a comment from someone who shared my podcast on Facebook after I thanked him for sharing:What vulnerability looks like for YOU is personal.You’re the only one who can decide that.My therapist has taught me something that I’ve learned to use when I’m not exactly sure how I’m feeling: to pay attention to what I’m feeling in my body in the moment.After doing this for years with her, I’ve learned these three things:Anger/frustration is usually in my headSadness/grief is in my chest/heartExcitement/nervousness is in my gutExcitement and nervousness often have the same physiological feeling in the body; most of the time, it’s excitement.So, if you’re thinking about sharing something that makes you a little uncomfortable, you’re probably a little bit excited because there’s an unknown element.“How will people respond?”“Am I crazy for doing this?”I would guess that most of the time, you will be excited.I want to differentiate one thing, though… and this is important.Ready?Testing and trying things in your business differs from hopping to thing to thing to thing.I’ve been saying I want my business foundation built with steel and concrete.Once that is solidly in place (from my varying pivots and lessons learned along the way), then I can get into putting the rest of the ‘house’ up, so to speak.Then, I can drill down into the decor, which, in this case, would be the tactics.Solid strategies based on consistent effort with only a few things.I can test and try new tactics when those all work the way I want.I was reading (and will probably reread while taking notes the second time) a post by André Chaperone called “Manifesto: Product Launch Marketing.”Holy moly, did this article get me excited! It’s SOOOOO good!The TL;DR is that product launches (based on Jeff Walker’s Product Launch Formula) are:Not working the way they used toNot as profitable as people think – see the screenshot below (this is directly from the Manifesto: Product Launch Marketing article):There’s such an allure for the vanity metric of a BIG launch… but when you look at numbers like this?That’s a hard pass.You could do those numbers independently, without JVs and affiliates (I highly recommend you read the article; the JV manager made more than the creator), with a great offer, some paid traffic, and an engaged email list.There’s always the argument that you get email subscribers from the launch that you can sell to in the future, but not a lot of people who are addicted to launching are doing long-term email marketing or content that builds a relationship.I’ve done little launches on my own, and that’s plenty for me.My friend Maritza Parra made the same amount of money on her own with Facebook ads, a webinar, and a great offer (you can listen to that podcast here).At the end of the day, removing your ego from marketing means tuning out the noise, managing your mindset, and doing a little entrepreneurial adulting.Doing the things you don’t always want to do so as to create a life you love.I don’t think this is supposed to be easy, but I do think it should be fun.

Kim [00:01:22]:Welcome to another episode of The Kim Doyal Show. I always say I'm very excited about my interviews, and it's true because I only talk to people I know, admire, and respect, and this is actually our 2nd time talking. But The 1st conversation I had with my guest, Marco Schmidt, which I'll do an official introduction in a minute, it was like I felt like we could have talked for hours. I'm like, we need to do a podcast episode. So here we are. So, first of all, welcome my guest, Marco Schmidt.Kim [00:02:05]:Marco, thank you for being here today.Marko [00:02:08]:Oh my god. Kim, it's Such a pleasure to be here, and it's really true. I mean, every time we connect, I just feel like, oh, wow, sister. You know? We're doing crazy cool stuff together. Even though we're operating in different places, we're still, like, in the same universe.Kim [00:02:22]:Totally. Totally. And we connected just through Twitter and then saw each other in a Kavon co cohort.Marko [00:02:30]:Right. Yeah. Yeah. We both love Kavon Chung. He's He's such a super cool guy in terms of bringing community together. And so and then, yeah, we've, like, had, you know, tons of, like, back and forth on Twitter and stuff like that, and I just love what I do. And so yeah. Super happy to be here.Marko [00:02:45]:Thanks.Kim [00:02:47]:Thank you. So I love hearing the backstory. So for the audience's audiences, I've got plurals now. But for the audience, can you share your backstory and what brought you to where you are today? And then we'll get into your business and what you're doing today.Marko [00:03:01]:For sure. I'm happy to talk to all of your audiences.Kim [00:03:07]:You know what?Marko [00:03:07]:Hey. Look.Kim [00:03:08]:Swear to god. Yeah. I sometimes my my mouth cannot keep up with my brain, but go ahead.Marko [00:03:14]:And vice versa. Right? I mean, sometimes I find my mouth saying something that my brain is going, no. No. No. Anyways, my backstory, probably it Started in some ways with dropping out of high school to join the circus. And, you know, it's like one of those things. I was one of those accelerated kids I was, like, always in the smart classes and got to do, like, the crazy fun things, you know, like going to the factory and seeing how they printed newspapers or, You know, bringing odd guests in and stuff like that. And by the time I got to high school, I had really thought high school is gonna be super fun, like college, like, really exciting, and it was Boring.Marko [00:03:51]:It was super boring. I lasted for almost 2 whole years, and then I dropped out to start doing circus work and play in a rock and roll band. And, I actually moved out of my parents' house and, you know, it's like the great thing is is that I already had skills. I already knew how to, like, you know, hustle and sell things, and, I learned how to paint houses. I I did a bunch of things. So I was Financially self sufficient when I moved out, and it always gave me this sort of independent attitude that I don't have to work for the man. And I have to say, here it is, you know, all these years later. Part of what I do as a coach is, like, working with people who are super skilled at what they do, You know, who are experts and seasoned, but they're afraid to let go of the weekly paycheck or or their corporate affiliation.Marko [00:04:37]:They they know they're not getting paid what they're worth. They know they're being lighted. But they don't have that background that I have of, like, being able to go and dance on your feet, make shit happen, and, like, Deliver like a great life for yourself. So I would say that's really where I started. And from there, you know, I did circus work off and on for 6 years, got to, like, Work in Europe and different parts of the United States and for small circuses and as a solo person. And all the time, I'm learning about life. I'm learning about, like, how do things really happen, You know, and it's all about people. And this is another, you know, lifelong lesson.Marko [00:05:13]:Business is all about people. Relationships, It's all about people. You take care of your people, you connect with people, and it will all come back to you. Right?Kim [00:05:22]:Always. Yeah.Marko [00:05:23]:So, fast forward, I was working with the Flying Karamazov brothers who at the time were like this crack juggling team that even performed at Carnegie Hall and other things. And I was on a tour with them one time, and, like, we were having a great time doing these crazy shows and Doing all this cool stuff, juggling with fire and magic and stuff like that, and I learned that they'd all gone to college. And I was like, Holy simoleons. Here, I've, like, acted in Shakespeare plays, but I've never actually read a Shakespeare play. I've never, like, really gotten an education. I decided, I'm going to college. And I had 2 literary heroes at the time, Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg. And I was actually friends with Allen Ginsberg at the time, and So he hit on me a couple of times at Poetryland.Marko [00:06:05]:I don't know if that made us friends or not, but I knew he went to Columbia University. And I said, if I'm gonna go to college, I wanna go to a college in New York City. And if there's 1 college I really wanna get into, it's Columbia University. Now I was dating this girl who is an American Ballet Theatre at the time, and she said, hey. I'm going back to New York. You could stay in my apartment and, you know, we'll see what happens. That relationship, like, didn't really last a long time, but we, you know, part of good friends. But I did get me to New York, And so I showed up at Columbia University on the very 1st day of classes.Marko [00:06:42]:So I walked into the admissions office and I said, I'd really like to go to school here. And they said, do you have an appointment? I said, no. But, I mean, who do I need to talk to? Well, that would be the director of admissions. Fair enough. Do youKim [00:06:54]:have your high school transcripts? Marco. I love it. Go ahead.Marko [00:06:57]:No. I don't have my high school transcripts because I didn't exactly finish high school. How about your SAT scores? Nope. Didn't take those either. I could see the no sale thing happening in people's eyes. But because of my background on the circus, I knew that This is just the beginning of a beautiful relationship. How do I make friends with these people? Well, so what I did was made an appointment With Dean Banfield, who was the director of admissions at that time, and on the way out, I saw a stack of course catalogs. Well, those course catalogs gave me, like, the courses and the room numbers and the times that these courses were happening.Marko [00:07:33]:I was thinking, You know, showing up is 90% of success. Right? So I started taking classes before I was actually admitted. And there was a couple of other lucky breaks that were on my way that year because that was the year that Columbia was changing from a paper based, registration system to a computer based registration system. And I also made friends with all of the teachers that I was taking classes, and there's people who are already having problems with registration. Anyways, long story short, eventually, Julie, I was able to talk my way in and get a fabulous education at Columbia University. And I graduated with a Bachelor's in theater and writing, and then I taught for a little bit. I had so much fun that I went back and got my master's degree too. So, this you know, the the moral of that story is that, you know, there's more than one way in.Marko [00:08:25]:And once again, it was all about people. So fast forward, I, taught for a few years. I got really interested in educational software. I got a chance to bid on a great project at AT and T Bell Labs. I started a sophomore company. I moved out to Palo Alto, got to bid on a great job with Apple and, Stanford Research Institute raised some money, built a little company, made some money, sold it, had a successful Exit. Yay. Raise money for our next company, and it tanked.Marko [00:08:58]:So I got to feel both, like, you know, the ups and downs of being in Silicon Valley and raising money and, you know, the whole venture capital world out on Sand Hill Road. Over the years, I've done tons of boutique software development. I've worked with some really incredible people, both as individuals as well as, in companies, I've had 3 funded, software companies, 2 of which which did do didn't do so well, but one which was a success. And about 10 years ago, I started coaching entrepreneurs, and I found, like, passion. This is, like, where I get to take everything that I knew about business, About, you know, tap dancing, about meeting people, about working together, and all that stuff, and I started coaching entrepreneurs and helping people start and grow businesses. And so today, I have a company called Guiderly, and we help people basically make the transition from corporate or whatever else is holding them back Into starting and growing their own businesses. And then I also work with Miracy, which is a fantastic education and, A business development company based in Montreal where I also help hundreds of people start and grow businesses. Is that a pretty good backstory? And I was like, woah.Marko [00:10:09]:How fast can I tell this story?Kim [00:10:11]:No. You did fantastically well. And you know what it was? I was thinking about your, How do I get into Columbia? Totally reminded me of Rudy Rudy Rudiger who wanted to get into Notre Dame, and I'm like, this feel that sounds like this sounds like a movie, and it totally is. And something that I gleaned really early on in your story too is when you were talking about being financially self sufficient at such a young age and moving out of your parents' house, which clearly set you up for a belief about earning money and and making your way in life where my guess is, like, with people that you're coaching and working with today. You know, it's not easy to leave the life you've known. I mean, My life was sort of turned upside down, then I was like, that's it. I have to make this happen. And so when you have those monumental moments, but the further along the path you get, The harder it is to leave.Kim [00:11:02]:Right? And then and I don't know if this is, you know, with the last 10 years of your coaching and whatnot, if you've seen a difference because the world is so different today than it was 10 years ago, and I think so many people are yeah. And I think so many people are probably thinking, what am I doing this for at a certain point. You know? There's there's so many beliefs and institutions and structures that are shifting and crumbling or changing in front of our eyes that I I think I don't know. And my guess is, you know, I know up for at this stage in my life, you start going, there's probably left life in front of me than behind me, and I'm gonna make it count now. And so, you know, IMarko [00:11:41]:love you.Kim [00:11:42]:Well, thank you. I mean, it's all you know, it's especially when you're probably the odd man out with a lot of people. You know? Nobody in my personal life, my real life, you know, my dad, 15 and a half years later, still doesn't understand what I do.Marko [00:11:58]:But that's a good thing because you're not trying to change your dad's life. You know? You're really trying to be a beacon, an example for people who really are changing their lives. And what you're saying is absolutely true, Kim. We're in time of, You know, economic, political, social what what part of life is not in turbulence right now? However, there's still this belief That true security is found by working for the man. Wrong. You know, one of the things that I have heard over and over With my clients and my own personal short experience of working for other people because I haven't really done it that much because I really don't like it. But, you know, the truth of the matter is when you work for someone else, you can get fired anytime for any reason. Somebody could just, like, have a bad day on their way into the office and go, you know what? I'm tired of working for with that guy anymore.Marko [00:12:48]:He's out of here. And Mhmm. The truth of the matter is There's no real security in any of this because we never know how long we're gonna be here on this precious planet. We don't know how long our life is really going to be here, so why not do work that you love. Why not do what you're called to do, to show up in this life with your gifts and all the things that you're super interested in, all the things you can do for other people? So I love working with people who are good at what they do, but they haven't quite had that experience. They haven't had that, opportunity to develop confidence in what a super cool human being they really are and how they can make it happen on their own for themselves.Kim [00:13:28]:Well, let let's talk a little bit about some of your clients or or, you know, how you work with people becauseMarko [00:13:33]:Sure.Kim [00:13:33]:You know, I mean, you've been through Plenty. Right? And I think most people by the time they hit our age, I think it's safe to say, likeMarko [00:13:42]:Uh-huh.Kim [00:13:42]:You've had loss. You've had tragedy. You've had triumph. We we've had enough experience Netlife. Right? ButMarko [00:13:47]:Right.Kim [00:13:48]:The the things that were really important to me 20 years ago, like, I don't care anymore. Like, I just Mhmm. Quality of life. I know what I I know how I wanna feel in my life. So, you know, it it's different when you don't have kids under your roof like my kids are out on their own and you know? But Mhmm. What are some of the challenges that maybe are some commonalities you see with your clients when they've hit this sort of precipice. And they're like, there's gotta be something else I can do with my life, or I it's time for a change. You know? What are some of the roadblocks that you run into with people?Marko [00:14:19]:Well, the biggest roadblock is mindset. I mean, if if you don't have any experience of having of stepping over the threshold into the adventure of your own life, Then it's really hard to trust that anybody's gonna catch you, that you're that you're not gonna fall apart, that you're not gonna be able to make your mortgage payment or whatever whatever it is. So, truly, that story that we tell ourselves about how competent and how able we are to Deal with whatever is going to come up. I'd say that's like you know, that's a really, really big challenge For all people who have had the safety and structure of working, you know, in a corporate environment. And it's kinda sad because The truth of the matter, that's just another story that we tell ourselves about what we're capable of. And, you know, we could say, oh, you know, but my daughter's only 14 and, you know, College is coming up and, you know, we have a mortgage and, you know, how we're gonna pay for insurance and all this other stuff. Baloney. The truth of the matter is your life is super precious, and you are called to be here.Marko [00:15:28]:And it's whether you enter that call or not Or whether you have you know, you've taken the call, but you put the phone on mute or whatever it is. You know? Mhmm. What I love to do is connect with people's superpowers and figure out how can they turn this into a viable business. And it could be a service business, which, You know, most of my clients are, but I've also worked with people who had ideas for a product. And, you know, some of the ways that we validate Customer need. Work whether it's a service business or a product business is some of the tried and true ways of making sure that you don't screw up your business, you know, apply across the boards. But I would say that mindset piece, if you can't develop the courage and and the enthusiasm for this journey, Then you're you're gonna be, like, sort of holding back and, you know, sort of like being pinchy butt about trying to do something cool. And Yeah.Marko [00:16:21]:That never really works.Kim [00:16:24]:You know, it's it's funny because I was, I was talking I had another interview this morning, and we were talking about how much of it is belief and mindset, and you hear that. And until you are willing to I I'm a big believer in self responsibility. I fully believe that I'm responsible for everything in my life, And, obviously, external circumstances I can't control, but I can control how I respond. I can control how I take it in and how I let that impact me. You know? And I think with when people are stepping into entrepreneurship, whatever that looks like, you know, there there's something about Adult learners, like, as an example, you think about kids. Like, we give them time to fail and learn and and and get things right, and There's, like, this perception that people are that we don't know how to be comfortable with discomfort. Of course, you're gonna be discomfort when you're learning or when you're stepping into something new. But it's like you know, it's kind of that analogy of, like, when you were going to Columbia, it's like, well, okay.Kim [00:17:21]:4 4 years are gonna pass whether I get into this school or not. So what do I need to do to make this happen? You know, so the mindset piece, where do you start that with people? Because, again, like, I'm sort of I don't know if you ever knew this, but my first sight before I was ever the word preshik was the self help chick because Uh-huh. I fell in love with Self help and development and stuff when I was, like, 22. You know, I got my 1st set of Tony Robbins personalMarko [00:17:43]:power. Yeah.Kim [00:17:45]:Which I can't listen to him anymore. But, anyways, To each their own, you know, whatever.Marko [00:17:51]:Right.Kim [00:17:51]:Like, but the whole point is it's like, I was so blown away that there was another way to think that could change my life. Like, oh, so if I think different things, it'll change my behavior. It blew me away that that was even a possibility. So at 22, I'm a little more malleable than, say, a a a an adult in mid career with the mortgage and the children and stuff. So, you know, what type of a process if you wanna share some of the stuff you do with your clients, and how

The podcast explores topics such as productivity and routines in the digital marketing and creator space, the dislike for regurgitated content, the importance of diversity and different perspectives, the journey in personal branding and trusting one's intuition, the growth of WordPress and building a personal brand, the changes in content marketing and messaging, and the power of personal stories to create connections with listeners.

I did it! My First Live Retreat is in the books!It was everything I hoped for and some huge a-ha moments for me personally.I'm going to share how it came about (Finally! This has been on my list of things I've wanted to do for as long as I can remember), taking imperfect action, the work involved, the event itself, and how I'm feeling a few weeks later.Even if you don't want to host your own retreat, I'm hoping this will give you some insight and clarity into how your business should support your personality, strengths, and how you want to feel.I had some huge epiphanies that, in all honesty, really surprised me.Including, "Do I really want to do in-person events?" 😲How the event, IGNITE Women's Business Retreat, Came AboutAs I mentioned earlier, hosting a live event has been on my list of things to do for as long as I've been in business (almost 16 years!).After a couple of months of living in Costa Rica, I knew that's where I wanted to host an event. At the time, I had mentioned this to someone I had connected with in my building (that didn't last; she was just too much for me), and suddenly I found myself planning an overwhelming event.Fortunately, that friendship ended, and I stepped back and knew that what we had started planning was nothing like any event I'd want to host.Fast forward to June 2023 (five months after moving back to California from Costa Rica), and I was planning a visit back for October with a friend. I connected with this online years ago, and we have stayed in touch on & off throughout the years.I wanted to rent my friend's beachfront house that I had stayed at a few times, but the discounted price for me had gone up (rightfully so; the house is impressive, and she's actively renting it), and my friend said it wasn't in her budget.I wasn't interested in pivoting plans and going somewhere else because my initial goal to return to Costa Rica was to visit friends, which feels like home to me. Plus, it became apparent through our conversations that we had different ideas about what we wanted.That's when the idea hit me.Why don't I see if I can host a retreat instead?I called my friend and asked if she could give me a week (she gave me two); I reached out to a couple of people and got a yes immediately.So... my first-ever live retreat in Costa Rica was born.One of the 'yes's' came from a dear friend, Liz Weaver, who jumped in to co-host with me (best decision ever!).What started as a vacation back to the place I called home for almost two years quickly became a Women's Business retreat, and it was to happen in 3.5 months. Not a lot of time in the bigger picture of retreat planning, but that brings me to my next point.Imperfect ActionYou've probably heard the statement, "Imperfect action beats no action," which is 100% true. It can also bring a little bit of chaos into the mix.That said, sometimes I think this is the best way to make things happen.Because you don't have time to overthink, you jump in, say yes, and make it work.The house we were renting is an incredible beachfront property in Play Potrero, Guanacaste (available for rent. You can go through Airbnb here or through me and get a discount. Wink wink, nudge nudge) and sleeps 10.We figured us, plus eight guests, would be plenty for our first retreat.However, after we sold the first 4 spots, we decided not to keep selling it so we could all have our own rooms (each room comes with its own bathroom).Because we had such a short sales cycle, this also removed a little pressure from this first event. Our goal was to cover our costs (which we did, I think. We still have to tally everything up. I have a pile of receipts), figure out what worked and what didn't, and plan accordingly if we were going to continue doing this.You can check out the event website here, but here's the TL;DR version of the event.Guests arrive Tuesday eveningThe workshop would be Wednesday, Thursday, and half of Friday.The second half of Friday would be the Catamaran cruise.Guests leave on Saturday morning.Best laid plans...Because of the time of year (the end of the rainy season in Costa Rica), there weren't as many flights as during the dry season. There are two major airports in Costa Rica - San Jose (which is big), and Liberia (smaller of the two, but much closer). Our attendees flew into Liberia, and three of them had to take the overnight flight from LAX I took (never again).So, our first three attendees were at the house by 8:30 Tuesday morning.Which threw a little bit of a monkey wrench in our plans because it took almost a full day out of our prep time.Side note:I arrived a week before the event started, on Tuesday, October 17th. I drove down to LA on Monday the 16th, had dinner with my daughter, and then she drove me to the airport Monday night.My friend & co-host, Liz Weaver, arrived on Friday the 20th.I wanted a few days to myself and see friends, but that flight was a doozy, and I was wiped for a few days.Except for a movie night on Friday and a little time on Saturday, it was pretty much non-stop for Liz and me from the time she got there.The Event ItselfThis probably feels a bit like I'm reading an itinerary, but we're almost done with the overview, so hang tight. 😉In addition to their stay at the house, the retreat also included all their food. Which meant Liz and I had to shop for, prepare, order, or arrange all the food. Which we did (well, Liz did. haha... she cooked some incredible meals, we went out for one, had one on the Catamaran, and breakfast was self-serve).The cost for the event was $1850.Which, like I said, *might* have covered hard costs, but this was way too low.The nice thing about a smaller group is that it's much easier to build in some flexibility. Our first day was sort of "heavy" in that we did the personal and mindset stuff, we had a couple of exercises the attendees did, and then we did our first hot seat.We started at 9:00 am, and by 4:30 pm, people were fried.It was a fantastic day with lots of personal "a-ha's," some vulnerability, and even some tears (good tears; I promise we didn't make anyone cry).On the second day, we did two hot seats, plus a photographer came to the house, and everyone got photos done (sending those off this week). We flipped Friday, did the Catamaran cruise in the morning because of the rainy afternoons, and had our fourth and final hot seat early Friday evening.Obviously, there's a lot more to the event, but we'll be here all day if I go into more detail.I want to share my reflections and thoughts (to the degree I can without sharing about anyone else) and how I feel a couple of weeks later.Reflections and Future EventsFirst and foremost, I'm incredibly proud that I did this.I also want to make it crystal clear that there's no way I could have done this without Liz Weaver. I was fortunate enough to have her as a dear friend prior, but I will forever be grateful for having her embark on this with me.I'm also happy to say her husband came down after the retreat, and they stayed for two more weeks and both fell in love with Costa Rica, which makes me incredibly happy.In May of this year, I did the exercise by Dr. Benjamin Hardy and wrote a letter from my future self. In that letter, I stated I was planning my first live retreat in Costa Rica for February 2024.Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined achieving that four months early when I wrote that letter (this is the power of writing things down!).One of my biggest epiphanies was the moment I had when I thought to myself, "Do I really want to host in-person events?"Having lived alone most of the last few years (sans this time with my Dad right now), I've grown incredibly accustomed to a lot of white space and quiet in my life.At the risk of sounding like a stick in the mud, I quickly get overstimulated when I need to be "on" for too long.This last year has also been a lot.I don't feel like I've had much downtime at all.A year ago, at this time, I was recovering from back surgery in Costa Rica, went back to California at Christmas, and then turned around in February to move back permanently.The first few months back were a big adjustment. It was super cold (lots of snow here); I ended up sick within a month, then Shingles two months later, followed by a bit of travel, lots of family events, and then the retreat.I hadn't realized it until writing this episode, but there's a general weariness from the last year.I wasn't aware of it because I've been super focused for the last six months, feeling good emotionally, and have a deep trust in how everything unfolds (new chapter). I also became acutely aware that it was time to rebuild my strength.As trite as the saying is, it really is true that "health is wealth."I think what would be hugely helpful (and something I remember from having participated in mastermind events as an attendee) is to build in more downtime for everyone.It might mean adding a day to the retreat, but the benefits of creating that white space for everyone will be priceless.Future EventsI'm writing this episode and reflection before Liz and I have had a chance to do a recap together (her husband got into town a day early because of snow storms in Colorado, so we'll catch up in a few days). Still, we've discussed enough to know how we're shifting things for the future.And yes, after we dropped everyone at the airport Saturday morning, we had a quick stop in Pricesmart to feed my addiction to the most delicious snack ever (it's labeled as trail mix, but really, it's a lot of chocolate with some nuts and pretzels), and got the car washed...We stopped at the local bar & restaurant, Las Brisas, for lunch and margaritas to celebrate having pulled this off. 🥳And yes, those margaritas are big and a wee bit dangerous.Here's what we've decided...Our next event will be stateside, likely in late Spring of 2024 (probably on the West Coast). It will have a very different feel than the Costa Rica Mastermind and operate more like a traditional event (at a hotel with a small conference room, and attendees will pay for their lodging).We'll have a couple of other speakers, mix up the workshop activities and content, and host a slightly larger group (probably a maximum of 20 - 30 people as we both prefer smaller events). We have another friend who will also co-host with us (we wanted her for Costa Rica, but it wasn't right timing for her).From there, we'll offer the Mastermind in Costa Rica, which will be by application.The second event in Costa Rica will be in October again (maybe a week later, weather permitting).The most significant difference in the Costa Rica event next year is that we'll rent two houses (technically three). I have other friends who own two homes that mirror each other (they call it a 'compound') - right next to each other in the same area.These homes are less than 10 minutes from the beach house we rented and are up high with a beautiful view of Potrero Bay and an Infiniti pool.This is where the attendees will stay.The hosts & any other speakers will stay at the beach house. The workshop portion of the event will still be at the beach house, and we'll have a driver pick up the attendees and take them back each night.We were super fortunate that the attendees were all fabulous, but to be able to turn off outside of the planned events would have been helpful.This also gives the attendees more time to connect without us being around.Lastly, and probably most important...We're going to bring some help. 😉Liz has a friend who volunteered as tribute... I mean to be a runner, haha...In other words, someone else will be our point person for logistics, food, schedule, and everything else that comes up right before, during, and after the event.We've also decided we need a whole weekend a few months before the event to iron everything out. We had several calls and emails back and forth, but we also spent the weekend right before the event dialing everything in.So we're planning a long weekend with our other friend after the first of the year to start planning the Spring event.We get clarity through the doing.I've been saying that for years... and this event was no exception.Clearly, my answer to "Do I really want to host in-person events?" is yes, but I have a list of criteria for myself to make this feel right:Charge moreHave help (one, possibly two people)More white space/downtimeSeparate accommodations for attendeesGet as much rest before the event as possible.More time with co-hosts to plan and prepare (together, in person)I shared this via email with my newsletter subscribers, but I actually cut my trip short by a week.I was scheduled to fly home from Costa Rica on the 11th of November (I was staying with friends) but decided to fly home on Monday the 6th.I knew I'd end up socializing with friends a lot the last week, and I just didn't have it in me (I did get together with friends a few times).At this stage in my life, I'm pretty clear about what I need (even if it's sometimes after the fact).Reflecting on this trip (three weeks total), some of my favorite times were when I got to spend one-on-one with people I love (outside of the event).All in all, this was an incredible experience.I'm so very proud of Liz and me for having done this. It means the world to us that these women chose to invest in themselves by flying to Costa Rica to attend this event.We're honored and look forward to the next event and supporting and connecting with even more incredible women.

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, marketing 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 Doyle Show. Really excited about the conversation with my guest today. Adore her, but also the topic of conversation. And, of course, we are going to talk about online marketing and her business. But, my guest, Lynn Jericho, is in a spiritual space, which is very near and dear to my heart. So first of all, Lynn, thank you so much for being here today.Lynn [00:01:08]:It's great. I'm really looking forward to it, Kim.Kim [00:01:12]:Thank you. So I love doing this. And so before we get into questions and business and and everything, I wanna hear your story. Like, what brought you To creating your business, which is imagineself.com. And we're gonna get into that. Of course, everybody, all the links will be in the show note. But, You know, let's you don't have to do the life story, but, you know, the trajectory that brought you here to what you're doing today.Lynn [00:01:37]:Alright. Well, I've where I'll begin is, looking for a school for my kids, And I discovered a school called Waldorf, which a lot of people know us around the world. It's the The hottest education program in China right now, which is interesting, but this is back in the eighties. And I found this wonderful school and loved what it did for my children, got very involved with what was behind it In terms of this picture of how the human being develops and I was off and running. It just made such sense to me. I got it so quickly, And I started sharing it with people. So in the early nineties, I started giving talks and workshops And advertising in the local newspaper, that sort of thing. And, And I was working and I was working on writing a book.Lynn [00:02:38]:And then, 2004, I was in front of, the big tree at Rockefeller Center in New York City, And it was so electric, and This is an electricKim [00:02:54]:So you're talking about the Christmas tree?Lynn [00:02:56]:Yeah. The environment. Alright. Man I mean, Manhattan Christmas is just a wonderland, but it's all electric. There's nothing real, unless you have a couple of good credit cards. So, anyway, I went home and I I sent out an email to my list on Gmail, which was about 260 people. And I talked about the holy nights, which is a a path of going inward between December 25th and January 6 between Christmas evening and, epiphany. And so that was my first Digital gesture.Lynn [00:03:41]:I I just thought I was a spammer. I mean, I I was terrified. Preston, because I said I'm gonna send you a message every day with an inspiration for what you can think Or work with or contemplate or meditate. And instead, I started getting all these emails, please put me on your list. I want these messages. So the 250 people were sending it out to friends, and it really grew. And then 2 years later, I decided, to do a video on what is this inner Christmas all about. And I was working on a book called 6 celebrations of Christmas.Lynn [00:04:24]:So I did this little video, just slides with texts and and music, Carol of the Bells. And I sent it out on December 18th. And by January 1st, 36,000 people had seen it from around the world. And this was long before YouTube. So I was I I should have been off and running, but I was just a deer in headlights. You know? I justKim [00:04:53]:Well, I can't what year was this? What year was around 1 1? Was this early 2000? Yes.Lynn [00:05:00]:That was 2006. Mhmm.Kim [00:05:03]:You know, and it's as easy as it is today.Lynn [00:05:06]:I know. Oh my god. And it took, you know, I had people in Russia, people in, Brazil, in the Philippines, all everybody signing up. Like, just the other day, I had somebody sign up on my list from Malaysia. Oh my god. It's so cool. I love it.Kim [00:05:26]:It's really neat when you realize what a global I mean, it's a huge world, but it's small. Like, we are all connected. Yeah.Lynn [00:05:35]:Yeah. And nowadays, we we are used to just being energetically connected, but now the the global communication, It's unbelievable. I'm making an impact on people all around the world because of technology.Kim [00:05:51]:Because of technology. Yeah. Okay. So the video went wild. And then Yes. What happened after that?Lynn [00:06:00]:And then I just, kept sending out these messages. I kept offering alright. So, Starting in 2008, I started doing teleseminars. AndKim [00:06:17]:Where were those?Lynn [00:06:19]:Right. You know, so I'd have and I was doing everything for free, of course. Of course.Kim [00:06:25]:GodLynn [00:06:26]:forbid charge spiritual things.Kim [00:06:28]:Yeah. And, Or women charge.Lynn [00:06:31]:Yeah. So, and that was awesome doing the teleseminars working. Do you remember AudioKim [00:06:39]:acrobat? Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Trying to get those widgets into websites for people. Yeah. I was like, Yeah. And you justLynn [00:06:48]:instantKim [00:06:51]:teleseminar was the big one. Right? Instant teleseminar.Lynn [00:06:54]:And yeah. Mhmm. Yeah. And so, you know, it kept building because people kept asking me for more courses. Yeah. And I didn't have to market anything. Yeah. Because people kept coming to me.Lynn [00:07:12]:And that was a problem.Kim [00:07:12]:So that was a problem. Yeah. That was a problem because why?Lynn [00:07:18]:Because I didn't learn how to build a business. Yeah. Alright. I was totally fulfilling my mission, what I'm here to do, but I was not building a business. Yeah. I was squeaking by, and I continue to feel that way. I am a creator and, You know? And I have enough sanguine in me or if it's diagnosed maybe a little ADHD So that technology, I fall madly in love with it, but then I don't stay with it because there's something else to fall in love with, Which your emails drive meKim [00:08:01]:crazy becauseLynn [00:08:02]:you you just drive me crazy, Kim.Kim [00:08:04]:Why? Why? Because I say I say to stay focused? Or what do you mean? Why do they drive you crazy? Now I'm curious.Lynn [00:08:11]:Because, you are always telling us about the latest tech shining up.Kim [00:08:20]:You know, and the crazy thing with that, Lynn, is I'm like, I don't wanna do the tech anymore. I keep saying this. Right? And so the tools people like them and they click through with it, but I'm like, I've I've got someone doing my high level for me. I'm like, I don't wanna touch it. I'm a creator too. I love tech also. But so that there is a Yeah. So sorry about that.Kim [00:08:38]:But it is, you know. And sometimes for me I'm like, I will keep looking for the right tool to do the right thing until I'm super happy with it. And then I and then I marry it and I'm good with it, you know? But Yeah. There's too many to choose from every day, so sorry about that.Lynn [00:08:54]:But, but I think you have such will forces. I mean, you're such a doer. You you just, You know, go out there and let everybody know that you're in this world and you're worth paying attention to. And I sort of kind of Fade away.Kim [00:09:12]:You know. Well, thank you for that, Lynn. But I'll tell you it's not I'm I literally had a I saw a mentor on Monday And I was telling her about all these things that I have for sale and she's like and she's like, Kim, you've been saying this for years. Why aren't you she said, can you commit to selling 5 out of 7 days? I'm like, I will to her because I hold those commitments. And so sometimes accountability is what I what I need because it's the same thing where it's like, you know, I want to connect and engage and create. And I actually like even creating marketing stuff. I just I don't want to be on I don't want to be the one doing the social. You know, there's all these things and then this idea of selling is so like, Oh, God.Kim [00:09:50]:So there's a lot of reframing work that I'm working on. So thank you for that, Bob.Lynn [00:09:54]:About booking and offering, I love the idea of, inviting. I love the idea the distinction between persuasion, which is helping people do what they already wanna do.Kim [00:10:08]:Mhmm.Lynn [00:10:10]:Versus trying toKim [00:10:13]:convince. Totally. Totally. Mhmm. I don't know if you've seen this and I will circle back, but I feel that there's a lot of backlash coming at in like And I don't maybe backlash is not the right word, but I think the, consumer in this space and the anybody that's online and Is purchasing courses let's look at it that way. Right? Not necessarily a digital marketing space, but the consumer has become more savvy. They're smarter now. And so They're they're seeing through things, people are tired of like the big names that are, Well, I made $40,000,000 last year And I'm not negating.Kim [00:10:51]:Earn what you want. Have at it. Like, more power to you. But it's becoming so it's just an old message now. And I think We're craving, and I think you'll touch on this, is collectively, universally, there's there's a craving for connection and depth and, You know, we're tired. Like the world my podcast that I just published is staying the course when the world is a dumpster fire. You know, when everything feels like a and there's plenty of amazing things happening too but that's not what, you know, the media gives us. But anyways, we'll get into that stuff.Kim [00:11:24]:So what fromLynn [00:11:27]:Ability to discern to discern What's real and what will work for you rather than being seduced? Mhmm. You know, we get so seduced in the this Incredible landscape, that we find on the Internet. You knowKim [00:11:46]:Well, it is. There's promises of riches and this is gonna happen and all these different things. And and I keep saying this, you know, I'm 53 and There's something magical that happens. You hit 50 and it's like, oh, I'm done with the bullshit, you know. But, you know, there is this Self responsibility that comes into play and so when I this podcast, Staying the Course, it's like I'm responsible for What keeps me focused and what keeps me in alignment? I'm responsible for curating my life, the external stuff and not paying attention to it or or tuning it out or unsubscribing, you know. And it's it's taking the time to do that, which we live in this space of massive demand for our attention all the time. And, you know, I think that's what's so appealing to me about Costa Rica is like, 1, you can't get I mean, you the Internet's there and all that, but There's just, there's no big box retailers. There's no, nobody cares about any of that stuff.Kim [00:12:41]:And it's just, I don't know. You're in this environment. It's like, Life's good, you know. But anyway, so let's let's keep going. You're doing teleseminars. I wanna hear then what Stepped into and what was this under imagined self at the time or, to that a little bit later?Lynn [00:13:00]:At Foursquare. It was Foursquare conversations I was doing because I work with a fourfold picture on almost everything. You know, we we live in 4 realms. We live in space. We live in time. We live in relativity, and we live in the absolute. That's amazing. To curate your life, to know what you're doing in those 4 realms, You know, there there's just so much.Lynn [00:13:30]:So I just suddenly, I realized what I was about was what is the archetype of being human, And how do I support people in being uniquely self? So you and I have all the same parts, But we're so different, Kim. What is it that makes us different? When you say I, you're talking about something completely different from what I say I. Wow. And that's magical. I mean, you're we each have about, what, 40,000,000,000,000 cells that are our Own and then another 40,000,000,000,000 microbiome. It it's in each of us.Kim [00:14:10]:It is it's a little quantum physic y, like, oh my God, can I wrap my brain around this? But Yes. But the nice thing about that, Lynne, is I I think for me, I I know that what I tapped into I mean, I was like 22 the 1st time I kinda got into, like, self help and mindset, and that stuff. And that's very, I don't wanna say surface level, but it's not the depth that we're talking about. And it blew my mind that wait a minute. There's other ways to think And feel and behave because, you know and again, I don't wanna use a ton of generalizations, but how many people are not living a self actualized life or, you know, they go through the motions. I mean, I was on a trajectory until I lost my husband in 2003. I'm like, we had the house, the 2 kids, the jobs, the cars, we had a boat. Like we were doing all the things and I'm not anti things.Kim [00:14:58]:Right? But and and I was at the time, I had still been pursuing sort of self help and stuff. And it's like that, That situation, like, brought me to my knees and it was like, there has to be another way to move through my life. There has to be another way. And it's been consistent work and conscious choice, But we get caught up in the day to day, right, and and not realizing that there's so much more from an internal perspective that will completely reshape how we feel and move through the world. Right?Lynn [00:15:28]:That's right. And have you seen Barbie?Kim [00:15:34]:Loved it. I mean, mind you, I went with my 70 year old 79 year old father who fell asleep through it, and I'm like, just cause he's has FOMO and doesn't wanna miss going to a movie, but I was like, anyway, yes. I love Barbie. It was fantastic.Lynn [00:15:46]:Alright. So A second time, I thought I went to see it 3 times. But after seeing it the 2nd time, I wanna buy it so I can watch it about 10 times Because there is wisdom there. So, my my work serves the barbie that Starts thinking about death that wakes up and suddenly her feet are flat.Kim [00:16:09]:Mhmm.Lynn [00:16:10]:And She needs to go into the hell of reality to figure out what that's all about. And I am weird Barbie. I I am with Barbie. I justKim [00:16:23]:wanna say a little note. They they couldn't have picked a better actress to play weird Barbie too. I freaking love her, but go ahead.Lynn [00:16:29]:Alright. So it's it's really important. Do we want the perfect life? I mean, I say to my my followers, you know, we don't incarnate for a day at the beach. I'm a firm believer that wisdom is crystallized suffering. And and so I workKim [00:16:48]:with yeah. Because you know, it just hit me because it's funny. It's like, I mean, you hear things that sound trite, right? That you can't have light without darkness and all of that. And I always say, you get clarity through doing and I'm always referring to business, right? Like you're not So many people are like, I don't know what I wanna create with a business or I don't know what my passion is. I'm like, start writing, start making stuff. Like, It's not gonna it would be great if it was a lightning bolt that just struck us with this brilliant idea and we could just blow it up. Right? But everyone who's followed me for 15 years I mean, I've been in the same space, but there's a trajectory. Right? But, you know, it it truly is the the things, The tragedies and the heartache and that shift and I am a much softer person today than I was, say 15 years ago, you know, and with each challenge and heartache, I I lean more into it, and it makes Me a more compassionate, empathetic, understanding person, and so much clearer on boundaries and what I want my life to look like.Lynn [00:17:50]:Yeah. Yeah. It's you used the word earlier, curation, to find the wisdom to curate your unique life, Not based on perfecting anything or proving anything or pleasing anyone or pretending. The moment you go into perfection pleasing, proving, or pretending you're not you.Kim [00:18:15]:Which, there was a Brene Brown quote and I don't remember what it was, but it's like the idea it was about Yeah. Pardon me?Lynn [00:18:24]:I was just saying I the 4 p's, I call them the 4 p's. And and let me tell you about the 3 p's in a bit. But The 4 piece, was from a book by Brene Brown, and she was quoting a sociologist or psychologist from Chicago When it came out, but it's to understand you're not you when you're doing any of those 4 things.Kim [00:18:51]:Yes. Well, and it was this idea of belonging that it's if you're doing something to belong, you're not you. And and it's a horrible quote I'm gonna find the quote and put it in here. And I always I think of her in freaking love her. I got to see her. I I've probably seen more authors than I've Seen concerts. Just a nerd. But I got to see her in the North Bay, you know, it's across a bridge from San Francisco in in This little bookstore in Novato and, girl, it was like I got there like an hour early.Kim [00:19:19]:I'm like, I'm sitting in front, I got a selfie with her. She's she is just anyways. But I think about how she blew up and the fact that a TED talk on vulnerability resonated with so so many people across the planet. I mean, to me, that was testament that work we, you know, are are...

It seems I’ve been having a lot of these moments lately.If you haven’t seen Jerry Maguire, it came out in 1996. Long story short, Jerry Maguire is a successful sports agent who has his own “Come-to-Jesus” moment, writes a manifesto, distributes it to the agency he works for, and all hell breaks loose in his life.Ideally, these moments don’t cause everything in our lives to unfold.But they’re pivotal moments.Turning points, if you will.The first moment I had that was really more of a “Come-to-Jesus” moment was when I decided to focus my business on serving women.I’ve wanted to do this for a long time but haven’t really had the courage.Until now.Before I get into this recent epiphany (that’s a hell of a lot shorter than writing out “My Jerry Maguire, Come-to-Jesus Moment”), I know exactly what has contributed to arriving here.Focus.Without a doubt, the focus I’ve applied over the last four months has created space for me to get clearer on what I truly want.What I want my life to look like, the work I want to do, and who I want to do it with.Choosing to focus on serving women felt like a huge fork in the road for me. I have a lot of men on my list and in my audience, and I was incredibly nervous that I would be cutting my audience in half.Here’s the kicker, though… even though men have purchased my products, most of my customers are women.This is also why I’m investing in paid traffic.I’ll always do organic content (which is where my Jerry Maguire moment came from), but being able to target exactly who I want to target?That’s gold.OK, let’s get into my “Jerry Maguire, Come-to-Jesus Moment.”I love the phrase, “When the student is ready, the teacher appears.”The beauty of this is that the teacher doesn’t necessarily have to appear as a person. It can be an article, a video, or a specific message you start to see repeatedly.I subscribe to a lot of email lists, and YouTube channels and read a lot of articles in the digital marketing space, and it’s easy to pick up on trends.Sometimes, I get an inkling of a shift happening, and other times, it takes a little longer.The first inkling I had of a shift happening was from the YouTuber creator Jessica Stansberry. She has a YouTube channel called “Hey Jessica!” and decided to launch a second channel just under her name.She’s been online for about 12 years (I think) and started out doing a ton of “how-to” videos. Months before she decided to launch her second channel, she did a video where she was telling viewers to STOP doing so much how-to or creating content based on keywords.(This is where she hooked me; I hate creating content based on keywords or doing anything based on keyword research).Then, she launched her new channel because she wanted a place to do different content. Lifestyle, vlogging, and sharing her journey. That channel has almost 2k subscribers in less than a few months (and yes, she has her previous channel and existing audience where she can promote the new channel, but it wouldn’t be growing if there wasn’t valuable content).Then I saw this FB post from Adam Linkenauger.It’s a long post, so I’ve copied and pasted it here, along with the image he included showing he knows a thing or two about YouTube:Post:“YouTube isn’t about keywords or SEO.Forget that crap.I could care less about the “search engine”, as ranking for keywords is small potatoes on the platform today.The first step is JOINTLY pleasing your subscriber base AND the algorithm.Understanding the traffic sources and the depth of strategy that comes with increasing clicks and keeping viewers watching longer.Where viewers come from drastically can change your thumbnail strategy, your headline strategy, and the content strategy depending on whether search, browse or suggested is your main feeder.Think of it much like how, in advertising, you’d market to someone who isn’t solution-aware and doesn’t know about the cure to the problem they have…Versus someone who KNOWS there’s a solution and actively is searching for that specific cure.OR the engagement of someone who is at the mall and walks by a window sees a piece of clothing they want, and goes in to look at it…Versus someone who visited your website, called the store to verify the clothing was in stock, and then drove down to the store.The examples get farther and wider when it comes to engagement levels/interests/knowledge and more across social media.And how you better learn your CORE subscriber base and “feeder system” of views will allow you to far more easily generate traffic, subscribers, leads, and sales.So here’s what I’d recommend:Stop worrying about keywords and ranking.Sure, you can rank for keywords and get good traffic, but that should be SECONDARY in your stragey.Here’s why:You’re competing for 1-2 spots across a dozen keywords that control 80% of all search traffic. (top of ranking gets the clicks)That’s like fishing in a lake with 1000 fishermen all trying to catch the same 12 fish.Instead, why not go to the OCEAN that’s JAM-PACKED with 1000s of fish but less than 12 fishermen?A sea of HUNGRY, STARVING, ready to bite fish that haven’t seen a meal in weeks.This is the opportunity when you change the inferior and “old strategy” of “SEO” I was teaching a decade ago for WINNING strategies that aren’t being taught yet.If you want to build a YT channel.There’s never been a better time.If you want us to build your channel for you.There’s an opportunity for that as well.But if this post caught your attention.Then the next few sentences should PUMP YOU UP!I’m thinking about doing my first training program in 7-8 years on YouTube.The entire foundation of the platform has changed dramatically over the last few years,… and there’s never been a more necessary time to teach what we’ve learned via testing across a ton of channels and our direct conversations with YouTube.A program unlike any other that has built multiple industry-leading YouTube Channels (and 7+ figure businesses) and is incorporating AI, unbreakable and battle-tested systems, and SOPs, an organic lead siphoning system that’s generated over 2 million leads for my businesses alone.… in an easy-to-manage to manage system that works for a solopreneur up to 8-9 figure businesses successfully.Not only will we cover YT Shorts, Long-form videos, content creation, lead generation, team building, analytics, and all of that “fun” (in a system that all works in UNISON to build your channel and scale your business)BUT our “Video Launch Formula” that adds 30-200% more leads/sales to your product launch than your internal list produces will be taught for the first at scale ever.And so much more.If interest is there, we’ll put a beta group together.Personally, I think the strategies we’re testing with YT shorts, bridging long-form subscriber/lead generation, and generating traffic, leads, and sales are some of the best.But I only want to do this if there’s enough interest.Interested in hearing more?If so, I can follow up and start creating the program soon!”He received 53 comments from people saying they were interested.My point in sharing both of these YouTube creators’ stories isn’t about needing to be on YouTube.It’s about creating content that connects with human beings.This is what #EverythingIsContent was all about when I first came up with the hashtag (that people now use on social… and I’m going to go ahead and take credit for it because I started using that probably seven years ago?).My primary goal with my content is that people feel better for having engaged with it. This is what I call my ‘core content value.’I want people to:learn somethingconnect at a deep levelor be entertainedThat is always my intention when it comes to the content I create.Let’s look at “creating” from a completely different perspective.I know I’m dating myself here, but I want you to think back to “creating” pre-internet.Think back to all the people who have created art (any type of art), put themselves out there, and succeeded before there were algorithms, masterclasses, checklists, and keywords.They simply created.There may have been formal education that helped shape an interest, but most people who felt compelled to create did so because there was something inside of them that called them to make their art.Take the “classics.”Think Shakespeare did anything to “research” what his audience wanted? Or did he write because he had to? There was something in him that pulled him to write.Look at how many female authors had to write under male pseudonyms because publishers wouldn’t publish books written by women.Obviously, as time progresses, we learn new skills, so there are opportunities for more people to have access to learning how to create.I’m not saying we shouldn’t invest our time and energy into learning (I’m very interested to see what Adam Linkenauger offers when he does launch something); why wouldn’t we?It’s never been easier to learn something new.We should take advantage of these opportunities – whether they’re free or paid (if you have the discipline, start with free and move on to paid).All that being said…More often than not, because we have access to all this information and people to model, we try too hard to “get it right” instead of creating from a deeper place.Before the internet, people figured it out.Understanding fundamentals and strategies is one thing. The idea of “modeling,” however, gets in people’s way.For example:Let’s say you decide you’re going to start writing on Substack.Instead of understanding the platform’s fundamentals, you start modeling what someone else has created and try to write like them.You’re studying their headlines, their content, and how they engage with their readers.You’re writing every day, and three months later, you feel like you have zero traction. You have some subscribers, and people share and comment, but you don’t feel like you’re growing at the rate you should based on how much you’re creating.Ask yourself: do you sound like YOU, or do you sound like the writer you’re trying to “model?”I could go on and on with examples like this, but you get my point.This is why buying templates from writers (think social templates) whose voice sounds nothing like yours will never work.For months, I subscribed to Justin Welsh’s social templates. Justin has built an incredible business, and I love his work, but I would never write how he writes.None of it sounds like me.So, I canceled my subscription.I own both of his courses (Content OS & Linkedin OS), but I haven’t done much with them. Because instead of trying to take his frameworks and craft a strategy that worked for me, I felt like I had to do it exactly as he did it.Which, of course, I don’t.Here’s how I’m using this epiphany moving forward.This truly has been a light-bulb moment for me. 💡And my goal is to craft my own version of a “build in public” experiment.I’m going to create whatever I want to create.No keywords and no templates.I’m not going to wait until I’ve bought an in-depth course on how to master anything. I have the skills and knowledge I need to utilize any platform and figure things out as I go.I’m also not going to waste months creating a plan.There will be a couple of days dedicated to planning out what this looks like, but that’s it. Then, it’s all about being consistent and doing the work.And, of course, sharing the journey as I go.Here’s a rough idea of what this will look like.Podcast: As you can tell, the podcast is back on a regular schedule. WOOHOO! I’m having a ton of fun with it. The videos will be going up on YouTube, more consistent sharing and repurposing, and soon enough, I’ll be running ads to promote the podcast.Writing: I really do love writing. Even though I’ve been writing online for a long time, this still kind of blows me away. I will stick with learning from Ann Handley (Everybody Writes) and implement what I learn from her.Email, newsletters, and Substack: Unsurprisingly, I love email marketing and newsletters. Substack is the new channel in this mix. And I’m excited about seeing what that brings. I’ll share that in public as well.Social: As much as I have a love/hate relationship with social media, for now, it’s part of what needs to be done. I’m going to flip this and treat it like an experiment. I’ll think of each platform as a lab, and I’m the mad scientist experimenting with what works.Paid traffic: I’m launching both brands’ Facebook and Instagram ads today. For my upcoming workshop (Beyond the Male Model) and for Create It – The Content Planner. I’ll share how that’s going along the way.

Staying the Course in your business can be challenging on any given day, let alone when the world feels like a dumpster fire.I won’t go sideways with this episode about all of the challenges people are facing in the world right now. We’re all aware that things are not what they used to be, and there’s a lot of uncertainty.This is why it’s vital that we tune out the noise and find ways to ground ourselves.I stopped watching the news about 15 years ago (when it felt like actual news, not entertainment or propaganda).Even back then, though, it felt like the focus was on the negative.I remember years ago, I would go straight to the gym after taking the kids to school, and if I were on the treadmill or elliptical, I’d pop on Good Morning America.Harmless enough, right?Most of that was lifestyle and entertainment, but there were news segments or teasers about the news, and even if I weren’t aware of it, some of that would still sink in.Once I got my first iPad and realized I could actually read while working out, I stopped watching the news.Fast forward to today, and the only bits of news I get are from social media (not intentionally, but maybe TikTok because they show you content based on what you watch).I don’t go too far down that rabbit hole because before I know it, I start feeling either angry or depressed.There was a time when I took a very neutral stance on what was happening politically because of this. All it did was make me miserable (and again, I promise this isn’t a political post; this is all for context).My intention was, and still is, to be the best human being I can be, to be kind, do good work, and love with my whole heart. All while creating a life that fills my soul to the very depth of my being.With all of the upheaval over the last few years, something in me has woken up.And you can’t “unring a bell,” so to speak.My sense of responsibility to the world I live in feels deeper.I’m sure this is a combination of my age, my children are grown and on their own (so I have more bandwidth), and some of the loss I’ve experienced.You hit a point in life where you realize, “If not now, when?”We’re living through some amazing and challenging times right now.The first and most important place to start is with ourselves.So, I’ve been contemplating this question a lot.Get the SPARK in Your Inbox every week!“How do I stay the course when everything around me feels like a dumpster fire?”Now, to be honest, I’m not actually using the phrase “when everything around me feels like a dumpster fire” when I’m thinking about the question of how to stay the course.That was strictly for the sake of the title of this episode.Words have power, and I try to choose them carefully.The question of staying the course, though, is 100% accurate. I’m asking from a place of curiosity and a true desire to keep myself in alignment.To answer this question, let’s approach it from two angles: the internal and external side of things.The Internal Side of Staying the Course.In some ways, the internal side of this is easier because it’s something we actually control.In other ways, it’s harder because it takes conscious decisions, effort, and massive boundaries to anchor in behaviors and beliefs that support staying the course.And any time we set boundaries, we’ll probably upset someone else simply because we’re taking care of ourselves first.It’s kind of funny when you realize that the only reason people get upset when you take care of yourself first is because you’re not taking care of what they want. In other words, “do what I want, not what you want.”It’s super simplistic, I know, but it’s on point.The other hard part about working on the internal side of things is that you must be willing to stop for a moment.Get away from the computer, the noise, people, social… all of it.It’s hard to get clear on what you want and what’s important to you with a zillion other things vying for your attention.I remember Wayne Dyer once saying, “It’s the silence between the notes that makes the music.” Which, by the way, was originally said by the composer Claude Debussy.The older I get, the more I crave quiet.It’s how I get clear; it refuels me and keeps the world’s chaos at bay.Let’s get a little more specific with what you can actually do with the internal side of things to stay the course.Start by creating a little structure in your life.When I was a young mother, my Mom used to say over and over again that children relied on and needed structure. Not from a place of being super strict, but simple routines and structure help children feel safe.And she was right.The same is true for you.Regardless of where I’ve lived, from the time I started my business, I have always, always, always worked from my desk as though I were working for someone else.My start and end time varies, and there are days off and time away, but this commitment in myself has instilled a level of trust that has carried me through the last 15 years.I use the term “gentle structure” because I go into massive resistance when I feel like “have” to do something.This is why I’ve kept up with my journaling routine (the three things I do every day) for the last four months. I didn’t want a routine that felt like a part-time job and took half my day.I also make sure to take as much time for myself as I can.I’m in an “in-between” phase in my life right now while I’m at my Dad’s, trying to figure out where I want to be (besides going back and forth between Costa Rica and the States), so it’s crucial that I create the space I need while I figure that out.I truly relish my time alone.Other things I do to stay the course:See my therapist/mentor regularlyCalls with friends for accountability and supportMeditateReadGet outside (especially before it gets too cold)WriteTake baths/get massagesTime with people I loveGet the SPARK in Your Inbox every week!The benefit of the time for myself is that it’s much easier for me to show up for the people I love when I’m not over-extended. And yes, this means disappointing others sometimes and missing out on things. But I always think of something my therapist said: “I find when I take care of myself, it’s usually in the best interest of the other person as well.This past weekend, I felt a little angst about life in general. There was no particular reason. Nothing happened, but I could feel those old thoughts kicking up, and I knew I needed to change things up.The best thing I do for myself when I’m feeling this is to do something physically.So that’s exactly what I did.I got in the pool for a bit and did a little cleaning of it (I don’t think there will be too many pool days left this year, and I knew that pretty soon it would probably be too cold to get in). Then, I did a few more “chores” inside.When everything was done, I took a bath, cooked a pizza, and watched a movie (in my freshly made bed because I washed all my bedding, too).As an entrepreneur, it’s easy to get caught up in feeling like “doing the work” is the only thing that will move the needle.But that’s not true.We must allow ourselves time for thinking, reflecting, turning the business brain off, and being present.Now, let’s talk about the External Side of Staying the Course.You need to curate everything.Your social feedsYour inboxWhat you listen to, watch, and readWhere and how you spend your timeWho you talk to/share things withWhere you invest your time & money (courses, webinars, etc.)Curating social feeds isn’t a new concept, but more often than not, we blow it off and don’t do anything about it.For example, my Facebook feed is pretty much marketing content, friends, animals, and like-minded people.Choosing to mute, unfollow, and unfriend people who display things that ruffle my feathers is being responsible to myself.I wish we lived in a world with civil discourse, where people listened to opposing views with a desire to learn (instead of just waiting to shout back at why someone is wrong), but that’s rarely the case with social media.You don’t owe anyone anything, especially on social media.I don’t care if it’s your next-door neighbor or a family member. It’s your feed.Occasionally, I post things on my personal profile that are political.Inevitably, I’ll have someone who disagrees with me post a negative comment because it’s ruffled their feathers.My response? I delete their comment. There is no explanation, no counterargument. A simple “buh-bye” works wonders.I don’t need to defend my opinion to anyone.Get the SPARK in Your Inbox every week!Moving on…Unsubscribe to anything and everything that doesn’t support you feeling the way you want to feel.When it comes to your business if you subscribe to a newsletter, person, or company that only makes you feel like you’re not doing enough or you’re not doing things right… cut the chord. Click unsubscribe.I don’t care how big the person or company is.Make how you feel most important (i.e., more important than FOMO, which is BS anyway).When I read things, and the first thing I think to myself is, “Kim, you know this. You don’t need this. Focus on what you’re creating, what you’re building, and who you serve. You don’t need “more information” about what you already know.If it’s not going to help me get better at what I’m doing and isn’t simply for entertainment or a soul purpose (i.e., it makes me feel something), why on earth would I give my time to it?This has been a very recent realization.And I completely attribute this to the level of focus I’ve had and my commitment to myself.What you listen to, watch, and readI am very conscious of what I put into my head. I only listen to things that fuel me or make me feel good. It doesn’t matter if it’s a podcast, music, or background noise. The same is true with what I read.I used to think I was pretty good with what I watched until I realized that even though something I’m watching aligns with my beliefs (TikTok) if all it does is piss me off, it’s not helping.I haven’t quite figured out the balance between staying informed and aware and not getting angry… so until I do, I need to practice what I preach here.TV & movies are easy for me. I don’t watch things that cause me angst (reality TV, horror movies, or sad stories). My inner Pollyanna would rather re-watch one of the first few Harry Potter movies over watching true crime any day of the week (I love all the movies, but the second half of the films are darker and sadder. So I limit those, haha).All of this applies to business and marketing content, too.Even if the content is valuable… if you find it makes you feel bad about yourself, that you’re not doing enough, or you should be further along… turn it OFF.Where and How You Spend Your TimeYour environment matters.I had a great apartment in Costa Rica, but it needed a little help when I arrived.I had an incredible view (the beach was less than a 10-minute walk from my place), vaulted ceilings, and lots of windows. However, the colors were off, the furniture was arranged in a strange way, and it didn’t “feel like me.”I had it painted, rearranged the furniture, had some things made (curtains, cushions for the kitchen table benches), and decorated it so it felt like my space.How I felt was more important than the money I spent on these things (which, fortunately, I was able to sell everything when I moved, but would have been fine if I couldn’t).I’m a pretty neat person, don’t do well with clutter, and always make sure my space feels good.I also apply this to places I go.I don’t like huge crowds or super loud noise (I could probably handle a football game, but concerts? Pass), so I’ve let go of feeling like I “should” want to do those things.This is also why you’ll probably never see me at a huge business or marketing event. The last big event I went to was Funnel Hacking Live in 2018 (I think it was around 3k people), and that was it for me. It was so draining.Be incredibly protective of the impact of this on your sense of well-being.It’s hard to show up, create, and serve your audience when you’re over-stimulated, your energy is drained, or you don’t feel good in your own space.Who You Talk to/Share things withThis probably feels obvious, but it’s too important not to talk about.We’ve all heard the phrase, “You’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with” (I believe this was Jim Rohn).I don’t know if there’s any data to support this, but you can tell pretty quickly whether or not someone drains you or fuels you.It’s also easy to feel stagnant if the people you spend the most time with/engage with aren’t moving the needle in their own lives.We all know people who talk the talk but don’t walk the walk.I’m not saying you shouldn’t have them in your life; make sure you’re in a good place before you spend time with them. Otherwise, it’s easy to get pulled down.Get the SPARK in Your Inbox every week!Where You Invest Your Time and MoneyIt’s never been easier to learn something new or improve on a skill set.However, before you spend your time and money on a new strategy or tactic, evaluate if what you’re already doing is working and whether or not there’s room to improve on a fundamental skill that will truly make a difference.For example, if you’re not consistent at sharing and showing up on the social channels you are active on, what makes you think that investing in a course about a specific platform you’re not using is going to be any different?If you decide you want to go all in with ONE channel and want to learn how to make the most of that effort, that’s a different story.However (and I’m talking to myself here), if you have assets, content, and connections already (i.e., you’re not just starting out), how can you ensure that you’re doing the best with what you’ve got?I’m no stranger to jumping in and wanting to try something new, but man… where I tend to get the best ROI with my time and money is when I work on going deeper.Getting better at something specific and focusing.#JustSayin.Most of this stuff seems so obvious, doesn’t it?Of course, we should only engage in things that make us feel good and support our goals…But we’re human.All of this is simply life.External things happen (on a big scale and in our day-to-day lives) that impact us and throw a monkey wrench in things.But that’s when having some of this stuff in place gives us the grace to move through life more gently.The more you practice this, the easier it gets, and the stronger the trust in yourself becomes.

Loyalty to platforms and tools is crushing your growth.This was a huge epiphany I had while listening to a podcast recently (I was listening to Jenny Blake’s “Free Time” podcast, which, by the way, is one of my favorites).The podcast episode I was listening to was “Why I Migrated My Three Email Lists to Substack (BFF Bonus Replay),” episode 222 (highly recommend).Many of you who have been with me for a long time (thank you) know that I love finding cool tools to check out and share.You’ve also probably noticed that over the last year, I’ve also talked much about streamlining my business.In fact, I’m tired of doing the tech.All I want to do is create and serve my audience – whether that’s coaching, courses, a community, or creating and sharing valuable content.In late 2022, I contemplated moving from WordPress and going all in with ClickFunnels 2.0. Well… that was a bust. ClickFunnels 2.0, after a year-long delay in their launch, didn’t have all the features I wanted to use, and it seemed silly to go to the trouble to move when I’d still need WordPress.The primary reason for wanting to make that move was simplicity.But it was also because I hate WooCommerce, which is what we used to launch Create It – The Content Planner.ClickFunnels 2.0 had promised their version of Shopify (for lack of a better explanation), and I thought, ‘Great! That solves everything!’So, stick with WordPress I did.Get the SPARK in Your InboxThis is where the phrase, “better the devil you know,” comes into play.As much as I don’t like WooCommerce, I know how to use it and have developers who know how to use it.I love WordPress for the primary feature it was created for, which is blogging.The reason people end up looking for other platforms is that they don’t want to piece a bunch of different things together (or Frankenstein, as some people say).As someone who can do a lot of this (although the less I do it, the less I remember how to, not to mention the less I want to do it) and has a developer who can do it, it all comes down to what I WANT to do.And screwing around with tech isn’t something I want to do anymore.Circling back to the episode of Free Time I listened to that gave me my “a-ha” moment.Jenny Blake is a well-known author, has a large audience, and also has a very public dislike of social media. Her whole stance on social is that it isn’t good for her. And that’s the point, isn’t it?I was intrigued to listen to this episode because I’ve been thinking of moving the newsletter for Create It (which is called “Creator’s Weekly” and is fabulous – I don’t write it, my daughter does) over to Substack.Now, before you think I’ve lost my marbles, you might be wondering about my very public love of beehiiv.Here’s the thing.I do love beehiiv. I think the platform is beautiful, and it’s easy to write in.That being said, I think Substack has a more robust community for discoverability. They seem to keep adding features that make it easier for people to grow their audiences, not just referral income.I’ve joked that if beehiiv ever became a full-blown email service provider, I’d be there in a heartbeat. But I don’t see that happening anytime soon, even though they’re adding more and more features by the day that support segmentation and automations.Before I go too much further with tools (because I still want to share a few things that are making me a little nuts), it’s incredibly important to consider one thing with all of this.Your Business Model.Get the SPARK in Your InboxHow you monetize your business is the first thing you want to consider.Let’s look at newsletters.If your goal is to grow a newsletter to sell sponsorships, then what you use to do that is going to look very different than a personal brand where the goal is to grow the quality and relationship with the subscriber so you can sell products and services.It also depends on how “ninja” you want to get with segmentation and automation.Are there incredibly powerful things you can do with segmentation and automation? Absolutely. But if you don’t want to do it, nor do you want to hire someone else to do it, does it matter?One of my favorite examples of this is Ramit Sethi.I’m a huge fan of his work and am on his email list.He has a large suite of courses he offers, a few that are not relevant to me but are specific to people with jobs. I responded once, asking if there was a way not to get those promotions, and they said no, they didn’t do that.They were super polite about it, and I moved on.Now, when I see him promoting these courses, I usually delete the emails (although there are some I still read because I like his writing and personality).But you’ll notice I didn’t unsubscribe, which is what’s important here. 😉I had resigned myself to keeping the shop on WordPress for Create It and figured I’d stick with what I was already using for Kim Doyal.Until I found High Level.I had looked at High Level a couple of years ago but didn’t like the UI. Then I looked at it again in late April and was floored at how much better it looked and how easy it was to use.My entire point in looking at High Level was that I still wanted ONE place for my funnels, products, and courses.For $97 a month, I have unlimited of both for both my brands.Then, they added communities, which are still in their infancy but are good enough to get a minimum viable community started.My understanding is that they’re releasing e-commerce this fall, so the wish I had with ClickFunnels 2.0 is being fulfilled by High Level.Bear with me here because I know I haven’t gotten to how “loyalty to platforms and tools is crushing your growth.”At the risk of this turning into a love fest for High Level, one thing I’m incredibly impressed with is their community. They are super supportive, no hype, and they push improvements and features faster than any other company I’ve seen (including beehiiv).They have an annual event also, which I was hoping to go to this fall, but will be in Costa Rica (not complaining).I’m just about done moving my courses from Podia (for KimDoyal) into High Level and already have a couple of courses for Create It inside of High Level.I’ve been dragging my feet on all of this because, again, I don’t want to do it, and there’s still a bit of a learning curve.Then, I finally got smart about two weeks ago.I have a developer and a designer I’ve used for years (probably close to ten years), and I love them. I had posted some work for them recently and then remembered, “OMG! There’s an entire FB group dedicated to High-Level jobs!”I posted what I wanted and had to turn off comments within about 5 minutes because I received so many responses.The first person I hired was fired in less than two weeks (he didn’t follow instructions, disappeared, kept giving me excuses, and then moved the wrong product), so I was a little more diligent with the next hire.I said I would do a test first, and then we could commit to a monthly retainer.She did more in two days than he managed to accomplish in 10. And it was done correctly.So, needless to say, I’m thrilled.Get the SPARK in Your InboxThis brings me back to my epiphany when listening to the podcast (I’ve now circled back twice to this podcast episode).As I was listening to Jenny Blake, talk about how much she’s enjoying Substack and why, I realized that I needed to let go of what I think I “should do” and do whatever the hell makes my life easier and supports me in reaching my goals.A big issue for me with the newsletter for Create It and an email list was that in using two different platforms, there was no way to sync subscribers on both platforms.Could I have made my life easier and just used ConvertKit?Yes. In fact, I did import the subscriber and customer lists into ConvertKit (from Klaviyo)- but I didn’t pull the trigger on doing anything yet because it’s still the same issue.There’s no way to sync when people unsubscribe automatically.You can push new subscribers into either platform, but it doesn’t work the other way around. This means every time you send an email or a newsletter, you’d have to unsubscribe people from the other platform manually.Nightmare.Since launching Create It almost a year ago, we’ve changed our business model.I don’t need a robust e-commerce solution. We *might* have another physical product, but right now, the goal is to get the paid traffic funnel working for the planner, grow the newsletter, and offer a monthly continuity (low-priced) on the backend.I’m not looking at anything else until that is running like a well-oiled machine.What hit me like a ton of bricks was that we could really dive deep into Substack with the newsletter growth, and for broadcast emails, I could use the built-in email platform in High Level called ‘Lead Connector’ (now that I have a High Level VA).Between ConvertKit and beehiiv, I’ve just saved myself $200 a month (which is going towards the new VAs salary).Do I still like ConvertKit and beehiiv?Absolutely.I will still use ConvertKit for my personal brand, although I will connect it with LeadConnector in High Level for KimDoyal (this is because of the automations and workflows that happen when people purchase something via High Level).And you never know… I may be back to beehiiv at some point (it really is one of the best-looking platforms), but right now, it doesn’t make sense with my business goals.And that’s where your loyalty should be.To YOURSELF.This might be super obvious and a bit of a “no shit Kim”…But I feel a weird sense of loyalty when I’ve professed to liking something and promoting it (and I get it; this is totally my own weird hangup).But much like we’re seeing in so many areas in real life (education, healthcare, jobs, politics, you name it), just because something has been done one way doesn’t mean it’s how it should still be done.At least not for you.I will always be a proponent of owning your own property online, i.e., a website.But you don’t have to start there.I know plenty of people who make incredible livings with the internet, and they don’t have a primary website. They have funnels, they run paid traffic, and they have a few other tools they use for the back end of their business, but that’s it.Contrary to what we’ve heard for years, you don’t need to:Have a WordPress websiteFocus on SEOBe on social mediaUse one of the major email service providersSegment your email listAs much as I love WordPress, there are plenty of people who prefer Wix or Squarespace.It also seems like there is a new email service provider that pops up every other month. Most do the same things; it just depends on what YOU like.I’ll never understand why companies can’t have good-looking interfaces… You know me, if it looks like Microsoft circa 1995, I’m bouncing. Fortunately, you have plenty to choose from.I remember when there were maybe 5 or 6 email service providers.Now, there are too many to count.What Loyalty to YOU looks likeThis is where the rubber meets the road.You have to be willing to have some faith in yourself, trust your gut, and, regardless of what anyone else says, use the tools and platforms that work for YOU.The best tool you can use is the one you’ll actually USE.I’m actually at the point where I’m so sick of platform-hopping that I’m committed to making High Level the one resource I use for everything except my content.Side note: They also have WordPress hosting, but I love Rocket.net and won’t be moving, so there is no need to.So, instead of having multiple tools I’m using for funnels, courses, products, and coaching, EVERYTHING will live in High Level, except my email list for Kim Doyal.With my VA, I’ll be able to have everything up and running in High Level before the end of September, which is also when my new community, the SPARK Collective, will launch.Oh, and with the community feature in High Level, I’m saving myself another $99 I’d have to spend on Circle because I don’t want to do another Facebook group.Hopefully, by the time the community launches, or shortly thereafter, the feature where you can integrate your courses will be live in High Level as well.So I’ll be able to grant access to courses to community members as well (and they can see additional courses available if I choose to go that route).Get the SPARK in Your InboxIn some ways, I feel like I’m taking a few steps back, but it’s so I can take a HUGE leap forward.This is exactly what I’ve been wanting to do for a long time, but I didn’t see the platform I wanted to do it on (and I’ve tried them all, trust me).Sometimes, you have to hit pause, take a step back, get some clarity, and create a plan.I’m also wise enough to know that I never say never anymore, but I am committing myself to staying this course for the next year.I need these foundations in place to focus on what I love to do and mastering the traffic channels I want to use.All of this also applies to social media.Pick the platforms you want to use and commit to getting them to work.Remember, there are billions of people using these platforms… none of them are terribly unique anymore, so do what feels right to you, create a plan, and stick with it.

Reframing Content Marketing and social media is something I have to do occasionally.Otherwise, I’d probably lose my mind a bit.My challenge is that I enjoy doing it, but it can also feel like a chore.Before we get into that, let’s do a quick catch-up.This is the first episode of September, and I can’t believe we’re down to only four months left in 2023. I’ve been back in California for eight months now, but it still feels a bit like I just got here.This past weekend was Labor Day weekend in the States, and it actually felt like fall! Since I spent the last two fall seasons in Costa Rica, I’m going to soak up every bit of the “fall feels” that I can.And that’s with a trip to Costa Rica for almost a month (and I’ve got another one planned for January… woohoo!).It was a rainy, cool weekend; I enjoyed some pumpkin spice coffee and scents (candles & plugins, what can I say) and made sure to take some downtime to simply enjoy the moment.That was a little fall teaser as the sun is back (which I also love), and it will progressively be getting warmer again, but it doesn’t look like we have any heat waves in the near future (working back up to the low 80s).One thing I did for myself this weekend was spend a good chunk of time going through some training I’ve invested in.It was Laurel Portié’s $7 FB Ad Strategy program (I literally cannot believe the value of this…), and then I picked up Joel Erway’s “Power Offer Workshop” (which is only $27)- which was recommended by Laurel in her program.I probably spent five hours on Sunday going through the training and taking notes (I retain things much better when I write them down). I had a couple of major takeaways from the training I’ve gone through that inspired this episode.First, Laurel Portié is a breath of fresh air.The woman is incredibly smart; she’s extremely generous with her time and knowledge, and she’s made me think of advertising in a whole new light.Not many ad people talk about driving traffic to content for validation (Amanda Bond does as well), so when she started referring to Power Content, I was super intrigued.Subscribe to “the SPARK” for Weekly strategies & inspirationLet’s look at Reframing Content Marketing firstI have always been a huge fan of content marketing.It took me a while to find my groove (the podcast really shifted everything for me), but once I did, I fell in love with the process and mastery.It’s changed a lot over the years and will continue to with AI, but I’m here for all of it.In a conversation with my friend, Jason Resnick, last week, I told him how frustrated I get with SEO and keyword research. I understand it, but searching for keywords to rank in Google and then creating content around those words feels ass-backward to me.If I want to do an in-depth post specifically for search, that’s one thing, but as a general concept, it feels incredibly forced for me.I write relevant content that I want to create, first and foremost.I live by my “Core Content Value,” which is that “I want people to feel better for having consumed my content.”More specifically, the three elements of my Core Content Value are:People will learn somethingPeople will feel inspiredI’ll connect with them on a deeper levelThis is always my intention when creating content.The thing with creating content based on keywords for a personal brand is that you may solve one specific problem (how-to content) for someone who is searching for the solution you’ve provided, but that doesn’t mean they’re interested in the content you create that isn’t quite as tangible.So when Jason shared a recent video and post by Rand Fishkin of SparkToro, which validates all of this for me, I was thrilled.It’s a 5-minute Whiteboard video with transcripts. Watch or read “Why the Worst Search Marketers Start Content Strategy with “SEO Keywords” 5-Minute Whiteboard” here.I won’t go into more detail with this here, but basically, he’s telling you that your content should be created based on business-centric goals.Which was the entire purpose behind Content Creators Planner and now Create It – The Content Planner.”Can I get an Amen?I also follow Jessica Stansberry on YouTube and am on her list. She has two channels, and the second channel, under her name, is brand new. She’s been talking on her Hey Jessica channel for a while about not creating video content based on SEO or keywords because that doesn’t necessarily create a “sticky experience” (my words, not hers).Her Hey Jessica channel has 200k subscribers, but she launched the new channel so she had more freedom with what she created.My take on all of this is what I’ve always believed.YOU are the differentiator with your content.It’s not because you know how to follow formulas and frameworks or have great SEO. Your personality, perspective, and unique take on things are NEEDED.For some people, that might be a little fear-inducing… do it anyway.That’s the first piece of my Content Marketing reframe.The second piece was completely and totally inspired by the training I watched this weekend.Think of it this way: 👇Your business goals ==> Your Content ==> SalesI know that’s incredibly simplified, but that’s the point.We over-complicate things.Subscribe to “the SPARK” for Weekly strategies & inspirationIn the training with Laurel, she starts with a Power Offer, which is what you’re selling. Your Power Content should support that.I won’t go into any specifics with this because it’s paid content, and c’mon… It’s SEVEN dollars a month… sign up.Once you have your Power Offer created, it’s much easier to create your Power Content. Which you then use to validate your offer.Jason and I recently learned this the hard way when we offered a Black Friday Cyber Monday workshop. We didn’t validate the offer ahead of time, didn’t get enough sign-ups, and canceled the two-part live workshop.Side note: I was kind of relieved (I think he was too). We both have enough on our plates right now. I feel like this was the Universe telling me to stay focused. 😉However, had we followed the formula for Power Content and used our audiences to validate this ahead of time, it would have been a no-brainer (I’m floored at how many people opt out of Black Friday Cyber Monday. No judgment, but it’s a missed opportunity).This reframe has probably been more of a reminder than anything else.I think I bought into the hype and concern about search, AI, and SEO in general instead of trusting my gut. I’m not a newbie, and I know the value of the type of content I enjoy creating.So that’s what I’m focusing on.That also means I need to improve social promotion (which will tie in directly with paid traffic to content).Reframing Social MediaI am definitely one of those people that has a love/hate relationship with social media.I love it because I can connect with new people, share ideas, be entertained, and learn things.I hate it because I just don’t enjoy posting – or repurposing my own content. Scheduling things is fine, but I do believe the platforms reward you more when you post natively.Not to mention, if you schedule everything ahead of time, you need to make sure you’re also scheduling time to connect and engage.Which feels a bit like a rabbit hole for me (I know, I need to take my own advice and do some entrepreneurial adulting here).The roadblock for me has always been that I get way too in my head with short-form content.I hate platitudes and absolutes.I’ve also spent money on templates for social and then never used them.Why?Because they don’t sound like me.I keep thinking these “formulas” that have worked for other people are how I “should” do things, but when I look at the formulas and templates I’ve invested in?Men write the majority of them.And I think I’ll die on this sword, but men & women connect differently. We’re hard-wired differently, and every single freaking time I’ve tried to force a formula onto my creativity, it flops.Frameworks, on the other hand, allow a lot more flexibility.I think the Formula vs. Framework will be an entirely separate episode, but think of it this way.A framework gives you the blueprint, but you get to select the materials, the process, the timeframe… all of it.A formula tells you exactly what to do.“Do this,” and then.This is where I see so many people struggle and give up.They buy the formula, the templates, the exact process someone else used, implement it, and it falls flat.Creating a long-term sustainable business isn’t just about copying, er, modeling what someone else has done.Subscribe to “the SPARK” for Weekly strategies & inspirationYou must be willing to take a risk and show up as yourself.Remember my #JustShowUP?That’s where you start.You start by testing things and doing what feels right for YOU.But you have to be willing to do it… a LOT. Just because you try something and stick with it for a month doesn’t mean it won’t work or isn’t working if you haven’t gotten the results you’re hoping for.OK, let’s get back to reframing Social Media. I got off on a bit of a tangent there.I’m going to do exactly what Laurel says and create Power Content.This is 15 pieces of content that I use to validate and test an offer. I’ll start with 15, but once I have the process down, I’m going to create as much Power Content as I can.In fact, I’d go so far as to say that will be the primary social content I’m going to create (Power Content is specific to organic social content that you use to validate your Power Offers).I’ll continue repurposing my podcast, any videos and writing new content on my site that supports my business goals (and desire to get in front of my ideal customers) – but as far as original content for social media, this has completely changed the game for me.All of a sudden, I see a social strategy that makes sense.FINALLY.As opposed to just posting as much content, as often as possible, and in as many places as possible.Obviously, you can do the “as much as you can everywhere” strategy if that works for you, but I want less time on social media and more time creating, selling, and engaging with my customers as possible.I truly require a lot of white space, and this is going to support that.In a much more profitable way, I might add.I haven’t dug into Laurel’s $ 5-a-day strategy yet (I’m still working through the “Get Ready Protocol” part of the training), but I haven’t been this excited about content, social, and advertising in probably EVER.The difference between where I’m at today versus, say, five years ago is not only do I have an even stronger skillset to bring to the table, but my level of focus and discipline has increased exponentially.Not to mention the stage I’m at in my life, which is all about unapologetically being myself.Gone are the days of worrying about how I come across, whether what I’m doing pleases everyone, and being nervous about ruffling a few feathers.I know who I am, my intentions, and who I’m here to serve.Playing small serves no one.As a reminder of that, here’s “Our Deepest Fear’ by Marianne Williamson:“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.It is our Light, not our Darkness, that most frightens us.We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?Actually, who are you not to be?You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the World.There is nothing enlightening about shrinkingso that other people won’t feel unsure around you.We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone.As we let our own Light shine,we consciously give other people permission to do the same.As we are liberated from our own fear,our presence automatically liberates others.”It’s time to be powerful beyond measure.Lastly, here are a few thoughts to help you think about how to end 2023 on a high note.First and foremost, you have to get clear on what that looks like for you.If you haven’t done the exercise of writing a letter from your future self, do it. Date the letter December 31st, 2023, and describe how you spent the last four months.Don’t be “practical.”Dream. Best case scenario.Make sure to include whatever it is that matters to you:Time offTrip/travelTime with loved onesProjectsIncomeHealthPay attention to how you feel as you write this. Really get into the feeling state of having accomplished what you write.When it hit me the last week of August that we were almost in September, I went through my calendar and blocked off all the times I’ll be “unavailable.”I might be working, but I won’t have any scheduled calls and may set some out-of-office autoresponders.With a trip to Costa Rica for almost a month (I’ll be working), time off over Thanksgiving, and the plan to be off December 18th – January 5th… I realized I had less time than four months.So, I better make it count.I started by mapping out two pages for each month (I’ve only done September so far). I listed three priorities and what my primary focus for each priority will be each week (in addition to the weekly tasks like the podcast and newsletter).Getting this out of my head and onto paper made it feel much more manageable, not to mention being a reminder to stay focused.Do whatever supports you, enjoying what’s left of this year.It’s vitally important to me that I enjoy the journey, not just the destination.Happy planning!

The podcast discusses the experience of the host in a male-dominated internet marketing field and their efforts to support and amplify women. They highlight the underrepresentation of women in roundup posts and listicles and talk about launch failures and content alignment. The importance of supporting women in business and creating connections is emphasized. Other topics include supporting women-owned businesses, mastering paid traffic on various platforms, and the introduction of a new community for women to grow and create opportunities.