The Self-Employed Life

Yeah, I went there. In this episode, I run with an idea I heard from a recent podcast guest that I thought was a brilliant comparison that perfectly demonstrates the importance of consistent daily habits. I'm pretty sure this will get you thinking. And hopefully taking action. Join 18,000 subscribers looking to do "business with a soul" and sign up to receive my Self-Employed Nutshell Newsletter! Sign up here! Contact Jeffrey - Website Coaching Support My book, LINGO: Discover Your Ideal Customer's Secret Language and Make Your Business Irresistible is now available! Watch my TEDx LincolnSquare video and please share! Resources - Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Having reviewed hundreds of websites, I can tell you 98% of websites are not. Fill out the simple LINGO Review application and I'll take a look at your website. I'll email you a few suggestions to improve your brand message to attract more of your ideal customers. Fill out the application today and let's get your business speaking the right LINGO! Make sure YOUR voice is heard as a self-employed business owner and add your name to the Voices of the Self-Employed advocacy group! A grassroots movement to protect your rights and influence legislation. Add Your Name Here! Host Jeffrey Shaw is a Small Business Consultant, Brand Management Consultant, Business Coach for Entrepreneurs, Keynote Speaker, TEDx Speaker and author of LINGO and The Self Employed Life(May 2021). Supporting self-employed business owners with business and personal development strategies they need to create sustainable success.

Creating connection has always been important, but in today's world with virtual communication it's especially relevant. Do you ever take the time to think about the impact of your words? Is making every conversation count a priority for you? I have a guest today that is an expert communicator who values the importance of creating intentional connections through meaningful conversation. Riaz Meghji is the author of Every Conversation Counts: The 5 Habits of Human Connection that Build Extraordinary Relationships. He is an accomplished broadcaster with 17 years of television hosting experience. His on-camera experience taught him the power of candid conversation and how to put it into practice. He has hosted for MTV Canada, CTV News, TEDxVancouver, and more. He's also a human connection keynote speaker. In today's conversation, we get to learn what Riaz is excited about now. He also shares his five proven methods for making people feel famous or heard and valued. He values the opportunity to explore and learn something new when having conversations with others. We talk about how to make someone feel appreciated and the importance of building trust. Riaz shares the importance of documenting conversations and how that information can be a valuable tool to further the relationship when building intentional connections. This entire conversation is a valuable reminder on how to treat people and make them feel special and the rewards that are received by both parties in the conversation. And be sure to subscribe to The Self-Employed Life in Apple podcasts or follow us on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode. Everything you need can all be found at jeffreyshaw.com Riaz Meghji thank you so much for being here! Remember, you might be in business FOR yourself but you are not in business BY yourself. Be your best self. Be proud and keep changing the world. Join 17,000 subscribers looking to do "business with a soul" and sign up to receive my Self-Employed Nutshell Newsletter! Sign up here! Highlights – [02:43] Riaz is excited about reconnecting with people in 2021. He's going to focus on intentional connection as opposed to being on autopilot while going about his daily life. [04:58] We talk about taking the opportunity to explore and discover something new through conversation and intentional connections. [05:31] Riaz wants to understand the impact he has and be open to learn from others. He was fortunate enough to do this in broadcasting for 17 years. Now he's lucky enough to spread his ideas by writing about them. [06:38] Most of us are now learning how to create a profound connection while looking into a web camera. [07:00] Skills that have served Riaz include knowing to forget about himself. Turn the camera off and look into the lens like you are speaking to one person. He asks how he can cultivate a service mentality. [09:28] Speak in singular in a virtual world or on stage. [11:19] There's an opportunity to create a deeper connection in a virtual space, because every audience member has a front row seat to what you are saying. [12:26] Engage with people right out of the gate with a question. [14:57] People want candid moments through the camera. [17:32] Always make people feel famous. Riaz has interviewed thousands of guests over the years. Everyone wants a champion in their corner. People want to feel recognized, appreciated, and valued. [18:14] Making someone feel appreciated comes down to the power of praise. Make it specific. [20:32] Riaz has five tips to make people feel famous. The first one is to document their details. People give you clues as to who they are. Documenting and remembering something important about a person creates respect and trust. [25:01] Take notes and write down three things about the person that you can reference later. [27:11] Tip number two is remember their name. Riaz shares a story about the importance of remembering people's names. A tip is to focus, comment, and employ. Use their name three times in the first conversation. [31:20] Give them access. People love the behind the scenes things the best. Use social media and pull back the curtain. [37:34] Show unsolicited appreciation. Surprise someone with appreciation when it's not expected. [39:48] Shift your brain with the three words I get to. Start your day with three things that you are grateful for. Operate from a place of gratitude not obligation. [44:03] We have the power to teach, inspire, or destroy a person. It's a choice what we do. [44:51] Riaz absolutely rocks the Rapid Round. Guest Contact – Riaz Meghji Every Conversation Counts: The 5 Habits of Human Connection that Build Extraordinary Relationships Riaz Meghji Twitter Riaz Meghji Instagram Riaz Meghji YouTube #EveryConversationCounts: Riaz Meghji at TEDxSFU Contact Jeffrey – Website Coaching support My book, LINGO: Discover Your Ideal Customer's Secret Language and Make Your Business Irresistible is now available! Watch my TEDx LincolnSquare video and please share! Resources – Life Can Turn on a Dime Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website and are all your marketing materials speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Often it's not which is why you're not converting traffic and leads to clients and attracting your most profitable customers. Fill out the simple LINGO Review application and I'll take a look at your website. If I have suggestions for you to improve your brand message (I almost always do), we'll set up a complimentary 30-minute call to discuss. A select number of websites are also chosen for my LINGO Review Video Series. Fill out the application today and let's get your business speaking the right LINGO! Host Jeffrey Shaw is a Small Business Consultant, Brand Management Consultant, Business Coach for Entrepreneurs, Keynote Speaker, TEDx Speaker and author of LINGO and The Self Employed Life (May 2021). Supporting self-employed business owners with business and personal development strategies they need to create sustainable success.

Have you ever been called a perfectionist? How did you take it? Was it intended to be a compliment or a dig? While it seems like it should be a positive attribute, it's rarely said as a compliment. More often along the lines of being overly picky. Which can eventually cause you to back down. Well, here's a thought that can shift picky perfection into something more positive and unleash the best in yourself and maintain your high standards.

Earning a living is something that most of us have to do. Many people dream of being their own boss but often stay in a job that they don't love, because they think they have security. Sometimes this works out fine and sometimes that security is ripped out from underneath us. This is why I'm such an advocate of self-employment. My guest today feels the same way. Fawn Germer is a best-selling author and global leadership speaker. She left a job that she thought was very secure and ended up writing her first book. This book earned her an entire file full of rejection letters. She hung in there and not only got published, but the book became an Oprah book. Fawn is the author of nine books including the Oprah book Hard Won Wisdom and her new book Coming Back. She has been a keynote speaker for more than 80 Fortune 500 companies and was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize four times for her work as an investigative reporter. She has interviewed some of the most accomplished leaders of our time. We talk about how empowering it is to be in charge of your own future. Fawn feels like self-employment is a gift and her mantra is that self-employment is a privilege that has to be earned. She shares so much wisdom from how to deal with doubts to how to stay relevant. We also learn why you have to commit, why you always need a plan, and so much more. And be sure to subscribe to The Self-Employed Life in Apple podcasts or follow us on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode. Everything you need can all be found at jeffreyshaw.com Fawn Germer thank you so much for being here! Remember, you might be in business FOR yourself but you are not in business BY yourself. Be your best self. Be proud and keep changing the world. Join 17,000 subscribers looking to do "business with a soul" and sign up to receive my Self-Employed Nutshell Newsletter! Sign up here! Highlights – [02:27] Fawn's new book called Coming Back came out a week ago. So far, she's done 19 interviews, and it's a really great moment in her life. She's been an author for 20 years and still has it in her. [03:56] Sometimes people become self-employed, because they feel like they don't have any choice. You are in charge. You know your boss. You know you'll get hired. It's empowering to be in charge of your own future. [05:51] Our world has changed so dramatically, that there are things people can do to get income immediately. [06:02] Fawn feels that self-employment is a gift. She came up with the mantra that self-employment is a privilege that needs to be earned. Everyday she would ask what she was doing to move herself toward her goals. [06:53] There is an incredible surge of joy and power in creating your own business and career. [09:26] Self-employed people create their day everyday. Fawn will write down everything she has to accomplish for the week and the day. She also has the freedom to go kayak during the day if she wants. [12:38] To make the leap, it's necessary to have a plan. Have a plan and then understand that things may turn out differently. Judge yourself by who you become when things get tough. [14:38] Fawn quit her job and wrote a book and started getting rejection letter after rejection letter. She has an entire file full of them. She kept going and reformatted her book and eventually it sold. [16:17] She traveled the country and kept writing letters to Oprah. Her first book became an Oprah book. [16:56] Keep moving forward, because your biggest enemy is doubt. [18:33] When you have doubts, realize that no career is a straight shot upwards. The bad times will end. Fawn's strategy is accept, cope, and adapt. [24:04] Fawn shares a great story about not letting security be your dangerous anchor. She quit a more secure job for a new job. The only real security is our belief in ourselves. [27:54] The idea of relevance. When the world changes you need to know it's changing and figure out your place in it. Self-employed people need to see the trends that are coming. [30:20] We need to be insatiable and curious to learn what we need to learn. Always keep learning about the future of your chosen field. [31:47] Read what interests you but also scan the headlines and see what's important to you. [35:49] Understanding the buying patterns of Gen Z will help many businesses future-proof. [37:27] Make up your mind and commit. You're either in or out. You need to be really in it to see success. [38:18] Have a list of goals for each day and week. Fawn always has some type of business plan. She might create a table in Word and write down what she needs to focus on to give herself daily direction. [39:26] Whenever you hit a wall, look at your business plan to see what's not working. Be willing to be honest and know when you need to recalibrate. [40:49] Expect obstacles. Get really good at seeing obstacles. If you don't believe in yourself, no one will believe you. [42:12] You never know how close you are until you turn the corner. Keep going forward a little bit at a time. [42:44] Don't waste money on anything you don't need and always live beneath your means. Make sure what you are doing fits your lifestyle and what you actually want to do. [44:10] Enjoy the roller coaster. [44:26] Fawn tackles the Rapid Round. We learn she always starts her day with a long walk in the woods and more. Guest Contact – Fawn Germer Fawn Germer Facebook Coming Back: How to Win the Job You Want When You've Lost the Job You Need Download Your Free PDF "Shortcut" Studies to Stronger Networking and Critical Decision Making Contact Jeffrey – Website Coaching support My book, LINGO: Discover Your Ideal Customer's Secret Language and Make Your Business Irresistible is now available! Watch my TEDx LincolnSquare video and please share! Resources – Shelley Broader Coursera edX 643: Jason Dorsey - How Gen Z Will Change the Future of Business Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website and are all your marketing materials speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Often it's not which is why you're not converting traffic and leads to clients and attracting your most profitable customers. Fill out the simple LINGO Review application and I'll take a look at your website. If I have suggestions for you to improve your brand message (I almost always do), we'll set up a complimentary 30-minute call to discuss. A select number of websites are also chosen for my LINGO Review Video Series. Fill out the application today and let's get your business speaking the right LINGO! Host Jeffrey Shaw is a Small Business Consultant, Brand Management Consultant, Business Coach for Entrepreneurs, Keynote Speaker, TEDx Speaker and author of LINGO and The Self Employed Life (May 2021). Supporting self-employed business owners with business and personal development strategies they need to create sustainable success.

One of my coaching clients posed the question--what's the difference between habits and routines. I had my opinion, but as I always do, I turned to do some research. I was shocked at what I found. It seems my opinion as to what the differences are is completely opposite of how many think. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. But what's most important is how this applies to you and your success. Have a listen. Join 18,000 subscribers looking to do "business with a soul" and sign up to receive my Self-Employed Nutshell Newsletter! Sign up here! Contact Jeffrey - Website Coaching Support My book, LINGO: Discover Your Ideal Customer's Secret Language and Make Your Business Irresistible is now available! Watch my TEDx LincolnSquare video and please share! Resources - Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Having reviewed hundreds of websites, I can tell you 98% of websites are not. Fill out the simple LINGO Review application and I'll take a look at your website. I'll email you a few suggestions to improve your brand message to attract more of your ideal customers. Fill out the application today and let's get your business speaking the right LINGO! Make sure YOUR voice is heard as a self-employed business owner and add your name to the Voices of the Self-Employed advocacy group! A grassroots movement to protect your rights and influence legislation. Add Your Name Here! Host Jeffrey Shaw is a Small Business Consultant, Brand Management Consultant, Business Coach for Entrepreneurs, Keynote Speaker, TEDx Speaker and author of LINGO and The Self Employed Life(May 2021). Supporting self-employed business owners with business and personal development strategies they need to create sustainable success.

Is your brand referable? Many brands and businesses ask for referrals, but what if your brand was so distinctive and top of mind that people got excited to talk about it without any incentive? If that's the case, you have a referable brand. This episode is all about what makes a referable brand and things you can do so that your brand is referable. Michael Roderick is the CEO of Small Pond Enterprises which helps thoughtful givers become thought leaders by making their brands referable, their messaging memorable, and their ideas unforgettable. Michael is here to share his framework for making your brand referable. He goes into how it's all about taking A.I.M. or focusing on accessibility, influence, and memory. We talk about making your brand stand out in an authentic way that is easy to understand and easy to share. We talk about the questions you should ask and important factors that drive referable brands. Michael dives into the language, emotion, simplicity, and structure that can make your brand stand out in people's minds. Michael's unique methodology comes from his own experience of going from being a Highschool English teacher to a Broadway Producer in under two years. His frameworks have been featured in Forbes, Business Insider, and popular podcasts like The Art of Charm and Unmistakable Creative. He is also the host of the Access to Anyone podcast. A podcast that shows how you can get to know anyone. And be sure to subscribe to The Self-Employed Life in Apple podcasts or follow us on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode. Everything you need can all be found at jeffreyshaw.com Michael Roderick thank you so much for being here! Remember, you might be in business FOR yourself but you are not in business BY yourself. Be your best self. Be proud and keep changing the world. Join 17,000 subscribers looking to do "business with a soul" and sign up to receive my Self-Employed Nutshell Newsletter! Sign up here! Highlights – [02:14] Michael is excited about watching his children grow up during this time that he's been spending at home. He loves being there for his little ones. [04:09] Getting referrals is pushing people to do things. Being referable is having people share your thoughts and ideas for you. As a result of this sharing, people just start coming to you. [05:00] It's how people are talking about you and your ideas when you're not there. [07:51] What is the emotional driver that makes you so excited that you want to tell everybody about it? It comes down to feeling like you're doing a favor for the person behind the company. [08:32] True influence is when people will do things without being asked. Have something that's actually useful for the person it's being shared with. [09:08] Think about how sharing your information would make the person doing the sharing look. Podcasts get shared because people want their friends to know about the great information that they heard. [12:28] People can tell if you're being authentic with the ideas you share. You need to believe in whatever you're putting out there. [15:38] We don't know what people are going to hook onto. We have to listen to what the market has to say. [17:02] There are three main principles to becoming a referable brand. They are accessibility, influence, and memory. You can think about it as taking AIM. [17:29] Accessibility is the first hurdle that we have. Make sure that you are understood by people outside of your industry. [23:00] With influence we're almost always thinking about the concept of persuasion. People don't share things because they are persuaded or pushed towards it. They share because it makes them look better. [25:28] Think about what's out there and how your point of view could shift things a bit. What's the slight variation of the concept that everybody gets that you can create to add to it? [29:11] Sharing has the power to change someone's reputation. People want to share the things that are going to make them look better. [30:58] People don't want to share things that aren't simple and take too long to share. [32:59] We spend so much time trying to tell a story well. Memory is a key factor in whether people will retail the story or not. If you want people to remember you more then focus on less. [33:47] Language. Come up with your own language and the words that express your specific concepts. Give people words that refer back to you. [36:28] Emotion solidifies memory. It's part of our biological makeup. When we're at heightened states of emotion we remember more details. Take the time to tap into the emotion. [38:00] Simplicity. Give your audience away to simplify what you're trying to share with them. [39:41] Structure. We need a logical progression in order to share things. [41:05] Being the best is important, but it doesn't necessarily translate into being a referral brand. Showing your expertise is so much more powerful than telling people about it. You do this by developing your own framework and concepts. [43:44] Michael shares his answers to the Rapid Round including the importance of reflection and self-care. Guest Contact – Small Pond Enterprises Access to Anyone Michael Roderick Twitter Michael Roderick LinkedIn Contact Jeffrey – Website Coaching support My book, LINGO: Discover Your Ideal Customer's Secret Language and Make Your Business Irresistible is now available! Watch my TEDx LincolnSquare video and please share! Resources – 434: Jay Baer - Discover The Power Of Talk Triggers Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website and are all your marketing materials speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Often it's not which is why you're not converting traffic and leads to clients and attracting your most profitable customers. Fill out the simple LINGO Review application and I'll take a look at your website. If I have suggestions for you to improve your brand message (I almost always do), we'll set up a complimentary 30-minute call to discuss. A select number of websites are also chosen for my LINGO Review Video Series. Fill out the application today and let's get your business speaking the right LINGO! Host Jeffrey Shaw is a Small Business Consultant, Brand Management Consultant, Business Coach for Entrepreneurs, Keynote Speaker, TEDx Speaker and author of LINGO and The Self Employed Life (May 2021). Supporting self-employed business owners with business and personal development strategies they need to create sustainable success.

We get it. Last year was a s*%tshow. We are so over it. In order to emerge strong in 2021, we need to not have last year's conversation. Pivoting, the new normal, challenges, virtual......all that. Now we need to have conversations about the right mindset and right strategies to emerge strong. Having been through a couple of crisis', I share a few ideas on how you can emerge strong in 2021

One thing most businesses have in common, especially when it comes to marketing, is they need to get noticed. The attention of followers and potential customers is the key to marketing success. What if you could drastically increase your followers? What if your product or business was at the top of everybody's mind? This recognition would ultimately lead to more sales and business success. It's actually possible to create legitimate recognition through hype. This is the process of getting more eyeballs on your business by generating and leveraging hype for positive purposes. Hype can be used to create legitimate business success. It can be used to help people. It can also be a catalyst for effecting positive change in your community. Michael Schein is the author of The Hype Handbook: 12 Indispensable Success Secrets From the World's Greatest Propagandists, Self-Promoters, Cult Leaders, Mischief Makers, and Boundary Breakers. He is here today to talk about how recognition and hype can be used for legitimate business recognition. We get to learn how his book and the idea of hype is the culmination of his life's work. We dive into several of the book's concepts, and Michael breaks it all down along with several real-life examples. Michael is the CEO of Microfame Media, A marketing agency that turns consultants into celebrities in their chosen niche. He has also facilitated content creation and production for companies like the Medici Group, Magento, LinkedIn, and more. He has a degree from the University of Pennsylvania and got his start at Spin the Bottle Inc., which is the production company behind the VH1 show Pop Up Video. He has wanted to be a writer since he was 5 years old, and he's also a contributor to several major online publications. I'm happy to have him here with us today. And be sure to subscribe to The Self-Employed Life in Apple podcasts or follow us on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode. Everything you need can all be found at jeffreyshaw.com Michael Schein thank you so much for being here! Remember, you might be in business FOR yourself but you are not in business BY yourself. Be your best self. Be proud and keep changing the world. Join 17,000 subscribers looking to do "business with a soul" and sign up to receive my Self-Employed Nutshell Newsletter! Sign up here! Highlights – [02:34] Michael is excited about his book coming out. It's the culmination of his life's work. He's wanted to be a writer since he was 5 years old. [03:52] Recognition and hype are legitimate strategies in business today. A business's biggest challenge is getting eyeballs. [05:58] Human beings respond emotionally to very different stimuli the same way. [06:23] Michael defines hype as any activity that creates a large emotional reaction in a large number of people to get them to take an action. [09:18] It's Michael's goal to help great people doing great things use the strategy of hype. [11:48] Picking fights and making enemies. Michael was struggling to get visibility. He wrote a column disagreeing with Gary Vaynerchuk. He received a personal response from Gary Vaynerchuk. [14:32] Positioning his ideas against Gary Vaynerchuk's ideas launched his career. [17:14] Tribal mentality. The tribal tendency is why creating the us versus them dynamic works so well. We're all tribal about something like an idea or an identity. [20:22] People often get meaning through their tribal identity. [21:50] Inverting norms. Not all disruption and publicity is created equal. With inverting norms there is already a conversation or trend happening. You want to ride on the coattails of that by flipping it upside down. [23:34] An example of inverting norms is when the Rolling Stones became the anti Beatles. [24:06] Find your mini Oprah's. She makes careers. Find your niche or area and find an Oprah equivalent in that space and partner. [26:28] People struggle with change. Small steps make it much easier. [28:39] Are influencers legitimate? Some are really just a new kind of star, but some really do have influence. If the real influencer spread the word about you, you will become noticed. [31:30] Narrative arc. Everyone thinks of themselves as a protagonist in a drama. If you understand that you aren't the protagonist, but the other people are, and what you are offering is the tool to get them where they want to be. [35:06] Start small and reframe what you're doing to help other people's lives. [35:46] Michael tackles the Rapid Round and shares how he calms himself, why you need to find your mini Oprah, and more. Guest Contact – Michael Schein Microfame Media Michael Schein LinkedIn Michael Schein Twitter Michael Schein Facebook The Hype Handbook: 12 Indispensable Success Secrets From the World's Greatest Propagandists, Self-Promoters, Cult Leaders, Mischief Makers, and Boundary Breakers Get the HYPE Book Reading Recommendations Contact Jeffrey – Website Coaching support My book, LINGO: Discover Your Ideal Customer's Secret Language and Make Your Business Irresistible is now available! Watch my TEDx LincolnSquare video and please share! Resources – Ryan Holiday Gary Vaynerchuk The True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website and are all your marketing materials speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Often it's not which is why you're not converting traffic and leads to clients and attracting your most profitable customers. Fill out the simple LINGO Review application and I'll take a look at your website. If I have suggestions for you to improve your brand message (I almost always do), we'll set up a complimentary 30-minute call to discuss. A select number of websites are also chosen for my LINGO Review Video Series. Fill out the application today and let's get your business speaking the right LINGO! Host Jeffrey Shaw is a Small Business Consultant, Brand Management Consultant, Business Coach for Entrepreneurs, Keynote Speaker, TEDx Speaker and author of LINGO and The Self Employed Life (May 2021). Supporting self-employed business owners with business and personal development strategies they need to create sustainable success.

Join 18,000 subscribers looking to do "business with a soul" and sign up to receive my Self-Employed Nutshell Newsletter! Sign up here! Contact Jeffrey - Website Coaching Support My book, LINGO: Discover Your Ideal Customer's Secret Language and Make Your Business Irresistible is now available! Watch my TEDx LincolnSquare video and please share! Resources - Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Having reviewed hundreds of websites, I can tell you 98% of websites are not. Fill out the simple LINGO Review application and I'll take a look at your website. I'll email you a few suggestions to improve your brand message to attract more of your ideal customers. Fill out the application today and let's get your business speaking the right LINGO! Make sure YOUR voice is heard as a self-employed business owner and add your name to the Voices of the Self-Employed advocacy group! A grassroots movement to protect your rights and influence legislation. Add Your Name Here! Host Jeffrey Shaw is a Small Business Consultant, Brand Management Consultant, Business Coach for Entrepreneurs, Keynote Speaker, TEDx Speaker and author of LINGO and The Self Employed Life(May 2021). Supporting self-employed business owners with business and personal development strategies they need to create sustainable success.

Becoming an entrepreneur is exciting. Most new entrepreneurs and small business people have big dreams and big ideas. This enthusiasm is important when it comes to having the drive and determination to get things off the ground, but it's also important to keep the fundamentals in mind. Avery Swartz is the author of the best-selling book See You on the Internet: Building Your Small Business with Digital Marketing. Avery is a digital marketing expert, and her book is all about starting with the fundamentals and using a framework to plan and execute a successful digital marketing strategy for small and large businesses. She's here today to talk about how her proven framework along with iteration can lead to a successful digital marketing plan before and after launching your small business. The information in Avery's book is especially relevant for small business owners. We work through the steps in her framework beginning with the first thing you need to do before anything else. Then we talk about the individual metric that will help indicate whether your business is moving in the right direction. We talk about when to measure, when to leap, and the importance of learning. We also touch on important digital essentials that sometimes get overlooked. Avery Swartz is an entrepreneur, writer, and speaker. She is the founder and CEO of Camp Tech, a tech workshop for non-technical people. She's the resident tech expert on CTV Your Morning. She was ranked number 5 on Search Engine Journal's Top 50 Women in Marketing list. She writes about tech topics for Chatelaine, Today's Parent, and The Globe and Mail. She loves tech and small business, and it's great to have her here today. Highlights - [02:36] Avery has been so busy that the number one thing that she is excited about is rest. It's an essential part of the creative process that allows her mind to regenerate. [04:21] The information in Avery's book scales for different sized businesses, but it's especially relevant for small business owners and people who try to do almost everything themselves. [06:39] There is often a disconnect between the big picture and granular concepts. This is why Avery created a framework that includes the basics. [07:09] Set your goal. Know what you are working towards before diving in. Your goal can define your strategy and become your North Star. [11:34] Choose your KPI or key performance indicator. This is a metric that indicates your individual business performance. It will differ depending on what your business is and what your goals are. You choose your KPI depending on where your business is at. [15:40] Pick no more than three KPI indicators that are right for your business and put blinders on and only look at that data. We have way too much data and not enough analysis. [19:33] Measure before. You've established your goal and determined your individual KPI, now take a measurement before you get started. Knowing where you're at when you start allows you to see how far you've come when you succeed. [21:49] Leap! Jump into the unknown even if you don't have the perfect plan. You can make the most informed decision that you can at the time, but eventually you have to jump in and learn as you go. [23:05] Measure after. You're allowed to admit you chose the wrong KPI, but you're not allowed to switch it at this point. Are you sure you didn't make a mistake at the leap/execution stage? You may need to go through the entire framework again and tweak certain aspects. [25:46] Look for a signal in the noise or something that gives you a sense that you're onto something before giving up. [26:36] Often the number one goal of doing something new is to learn. [28:32] The Self-Employed Business School is launching later this year. This is a result of taking a leap and noticing that there was an indicator of need for this information. [29:50] The framework is iterative and can be repeated. [31:30] Domains are essential. Things to look at include which extension to use and how many similar domains should be registered. [35:16] Digital hygiene or making safety and security on the Internet a regular practice. A password manager is essential. Have a strong unique password for every log in. Avery recommends LastPass. [42:33] Having a VPN or virtual private network is a great way to protect yourself when logging into networks. It's an extra layer of protection. [44:17] Choosing a CRM or customer relationship management software can be difficult. Be realistic about where your business is and where you would like it to go. Think about the functionality and integrations that you'll need. [47:29] Big CRMs like Hubspot and Salesforce can sometimes be overkill. Avery recommends checking out trying something smaller like Insightly or Nimble. [52:30] Learn a little bit about what drives Avery's success in the Rapid Round. Guest Contact - Avery Swartz Camp Tech Avery Swartz LinkedIn Avery Swartz Instagram Avery Swartz Twitter Avery Swartz Facebook See You On The Internet Links Mentioned - The Lean Startup How I Built This with Guy Raz LastPass Tunnel Bear Wirecutter Hubspot Salesforce Insightly Nimble Mailchimp Join 17,000 other subscribers who want to do business with a soul and receive my Self-Employed Life Nutshell Newsletter by going to nutshellnewsletter.com And be sure to subscribe to The Self-Employed Life in Apple podcasts or follow us on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode. Everything you need can all be found at jeffreyshaw.com Avery Swartz thank you so much for being here! Remember, you might be in business FOR yourself but you are not in business BY yourself. Be your best self. Be proud and keep changing the world.