What Works

The Nitty-Gritty: * 5 small business owners share the project management tools they can’t live without* Why each tool is the right fit for the way each business owner works* How they incorporate the tools into their workflows* Plus, what tools haven’t worked for them Project management is so much more than software. But if you think about tools like Asana, Trello, Clickup, or Notion (referral link that helps to support What Works) when you hear project management, you’re certainly not alone. I remember when Asana first started gaining popularity among digital small business owners. “Finally!” we thought collectively, “We can figure out how to get it all done.” Of course, most of us quickly realized that software like Asana doesn’t solve the problem of having too much work, unclear priorities, and a decidedly nonlinear project to complete. Project management is as much about how you approach the work that needs to get done as the software you use. So if project management is as much about how we approach the work as it is the software we use, why do we spend so much time stressing over that software? My hunch is that, despite all indications to the contrary, we believe that there’s a piece of software out there that will make us more productive, more organized, and more effective. Here’s what I’ve found to be true, instead: My project management software is only as good as I am. I can’t expect it to do for me what I’m not willing to do for myself. But if I commit to doing the work of project management… …if I organize my projects and get real about what’s required to bring each of them to completion… …if I’m willing to do the work I say I’m going to do… …if I consciously balance my big picture goals and my daily to-do lists… …then I can find project management software that helps me do that. But it starts with me and my own approach to the work. Now if that sounds personal, I can assure you that it is. I thought I was “broken” when it came to project management and that maybe there was some piece of project management software that could fix me. I tried a bunch. For while, I tried managing projects in Evernote–but that really just turned into me relying on my own brain, as per usual. Then, we dabbled in Trello… but it just didn’t work for us. Then, I tried using Asana. My team used it for 2 full years but I could never get the hang of it. That’s partly because I needed it to do something it just didn’t do–but it’s also because I wasn’t fully committed to doing the work of managing my projects. Then, I decided to grow up and do hard things. At the same time, we switched to Notion. Yes, Notion lets me do things I could only dream of in Asana or Trello. It combines content with task management in an completely customizable interface. But the most important piece is that I decided to manage my projects. I decided to work the system. I committed to following through–and Notion helps me do that. Today, ★ Support this podcast ★

The Nitty-Gritty: * Why clear client communication helps on-demand CFO & cash flow analyst Christina Sjahli manage her complex financial projects* The system she uses to keep track of documents and change history* How she uses deadlines for herself and her clients to manage the progress of her projects* What Christina learned from her corporate finance experience that’s transferred to her own business—and what she left behind Can I really learn project management as an entrepreneur? A few of years ago, it became trendy to explain away the operational problems in our businesses by saying something like, “Dammit, Jim! I’m an entrepreneur, not a manager.” This trend was fueled by a book called Rocket Fuel, by Gino Wickman. In Rocket Fuel, Wickman argues that entrepreneurs are Visionaries. He writes, “Entrepreneurs hunt. They don’t manage. They explore rather than analyze. They build companies with vision, creativity, and tenacity; not with policies and procedures.” He continues by suggesting that every Visionary needs someone to be their Integrator. The Integrator’s role is to manage between the entrepreneur’s vision-driven ideas and the people on the ground actually making those things happen. I bought it. Hook, line, and sinker. The ideas in Rocket Fuel felt right to me. After all, the idea of creating, managing, and—dear god—following procedures made me feel all sweaty and claustrophobic. Finally, someone was telling me what I suspected all along: I just wasn’t good at managing. I wasn’t built for precision execution. I would always suffocated by routine, analysis, and consistency. Lots and lots of other small business owners I know bought this argument too. Soon we saw job descriptions for Integrators everywhere. We saw virtual assistants and online business managers start advertising themselves as Integrators. The language might be new to you—but I have a feeling that this distinction between the idea-creators and the idea-managers feels familiar. Here’s what I’ve realized since I myself caught the Rocket Fuel fever: While it’s true that some of us are gifted with natural aptitude toward one side of this spectrum between vision and management, that doesn’t get us off the hook for taking the time and care that’s necessary to manage projects well. Just because I’m an idea machine doesn’t mean I can’t also be a procedure machine. Just because I’m creative doesn’t mean I don’t have to follow systems. Just because I’m fueled by vision doesn’t mean I get a pass on thinking through the process behind my vision’s execution. Plenty of people will say that you’ve got to stay in your Zone Of Genius to be successful. At the risk of mixing metaphors, I say cross training is important. I’m not either/or, I’m both/and. And the more I’ve stepped into everything I can bring to the table,... ★ Support this podcast ★

Joelle Hann, founder of Brooklyn Book Doctor, shares insights on managing the creative process for authors. She discusses the importance of considering the human element in book writing projects and tools she uses to track progress. Learn how the creative process can be manageable and successful with the right approach.

The Nitty-Gritty: * How Kaye Publicity founder Dana Kaye plans and manages multi-layer book publicity projects* The tools she uses to track progress, run reports, and organize the information that goes into every project* How her team members take ownership of different areas of each project* Why she’s learning to take a more top-level role in each project they manage One of my most important personal commitments from last year was to “work the system.” In other words, I wanted to stop constantly reinventing the wheel, breaking things that weren’t broken, and looking for new novel things to add to my plate. I wanted to take the systems that we had as a company and work them. No more pretending that I didn’t have to follow the procedure or document my work just because I was the boss. No more excuses for why my tasks weren’t getting checked off or the process wasn’t getting completed. Just working the systems we had, making them better, and following through until every last item was crossed off the list. By and large, I was pretty successful! I confirmed this with my team to make sure I wasn’t blowing smoke up my own butt. What I’ve discovered as I’ve embraced working the system is that—against all odds—I actually love it. In fact, now that I’ve been working the systems for a year, I see systems everywhere. I see how they make things better, how they make me better. And I relish getting those set up and figuring out how they can become more effective. Since I’ve decided to finally embrace not only having systems in my business but actually using them myself, I thought it would be fun to kick off the new year at What Works by focusing on project management. In other words, what does it take to make sure that the projects we start are projects we can finish? And how do different kinds of projects take on different forms as we use tools to track and complete them? And… how do different kinds of business owners approach managing projects differently? This month, we’re going to take a look at how a book coach manages the creative process for her clients. We’ll examine why communication and expectation is so important in complex projects with an on-demand CFO and cashflow analyst. And we’ll find out how a conference planner sees his events from vision to final invoice paid. Plus, we’ve also asked a panel of small business owners to share the tools they use to manage their projects and why they love them. You’ll hear about software like ClickUp, Asana, Trello, and Notion so you can make a more informed decision about what will work for you. But today, we’re starting with a look at managing massive multi-layer projects. Dana Kaye is the founder of Kaye Publicity, a publicity agency specializing in helping authors get media coverage for their books. As you’ll hear, publicity projects aren’t exactly linear. It’s not just a list of tasks that need to be completed step by step. There’s traditional media to go after. There are influencers to reach out to. There is content the team needs from authors and there are conversations that need to be had with the publisher. Each type of media is another layer in the project. Each layer is owned by a different member of the team. ★ Support this podcast ★

We’ve had a helluva year here at What Works. We’ve talked to over 100 small business owners, published more than 80 episodes, and tackled 12 different themes this year. What Works is special because we focus on the people who are making their businesses work every single day. We believe we all have a lot to learn from each other—and the more honest & transparent we are about how our marketing, operations, tools, product development, or sales processes work, the better chance we all have for success. On this episode, it’s no different—except, instead of me being the one asking the questions, you are! Here’s what we covered: * 2:20 What are the best ways to grow your organic reach on social media today?* 12:48 What kind of structure have you used for in-person strategy intensives?* 19:31 What’s working for you right now as you deal with capacity challenges in a 1:1 service business?* 28:46 What trends do you see coming in 2020?* 36:08 How did you come up with the name for YellowHouse.Media?* 38:24 What are your biggest business lessons from 2019? What marketing will you continue in 2020 and what will you stop doing?* 49:58 How have you leveraged the symbiotic relationship between your podcast and your community?* 55:21 Still running Facebook/Instagram ads in 2020?* 56:43 Who manages your finances and payroll? We use Gusto and recommend you do, too (we receive a small commission when you sign up)!* 57:49 What has been your biggest business challenge in 2019? ★ Support this podcast ★

★ Support this podcast ★

The Nitty-Gritty: * Why podcast advocate Elsie Escobar created a personal process for looking back over the year and setting her intentions for the year to come* How setting clear boundaries helps her to stay on top of her commitments and execution* The tools she uses to look back over the past year and how they give her a fresh perspective on what she’s experienced Do you know what you did this year? Do you know how many blog posts you published? How many emails you sent out? How many customers bought your product? Have you kept track of the accolades that have come your way? Or the speeches you’ve delivered? Or the interviews you’ve done? When the year is hurtling toward a close, it’s easy to lose track of everything you’ve accomplished already. All you can see in front of you is a to-do list that absolutely must get done before you can relax and enjoy the holiday cookie spread. But that’s precisely why taking a look back is key. This month, we’re examining how we can take better care of ourselves as small business owners. We’re putting aside cliche self-care tips and digging into how entrepreneurs actually engineer their routines, procedures, and operations to care for themselves. This week, my guest is Elsie Escobar. Elsie is the co-host of LibSyn’s podcast The Feed as well as their community manager. She’s also the co-host of She Podcasts, a podcast and community of over 14,000 women podcasters. Her mission is to help more people use their voice and make an impact through the craft of podcasting. With everything she has going on, it would be easy for Elsie to forget what she’s accomplished in a year. It would be easy to dismiss the small wins and important insights she’s experienced. That’s why Elsie has developed a personal process of looking back, assessing her opportunities, setting intentions for the new year. Elsie and I talk about the energy of the end of the year—and how it can contribute to feeling like we need to catch up no matter how much we’ve achieved. We also talk about the experience that catalyzed her will to look back and set intentions, as well as how she’s trained herself to recognize her true capacity. Now, let’s find out what works for Elsie Escobar! What Works Is Brought To You By Mighty Networks powers brands and businesses – like yours! – that bring people together.With a Mighty Network, online business owners just like you can bring together in one place: * Your website* Your content* Your courses* Your community* Your events online and in real life* And charge for them…all while building YOUR brand. Visit mightynetworks.com to see more examples of brands bringing people together and taking their businesses to the next level. ★ Support this podcast ★

The Nitty-Gritty: * Why Toi Smith made the shift from virtual assistant to online business manager to growth & impact strategist* How she reassessed the true value behind what she was offering her clients so she could rework her business model* What eliminating exploitative business practices from her own model has taught her about creating value* How her rates, working hours, and client load is different now that she’s built a business that helps her take care of herself Business is an experiment. You try something, you get a result, you learn. Then you try something else. Little by little, the learning adds up to a business that works. But often, our learning leads us down a path that earns some money and keeps us busy but doesn’t really let us thrive. Discovering “what works” can feel like a dead end. In other words… …success can make you feel stuck. You’re your own boss. You’ve got good clients. You have plenty of work to do. By many accounts, you’re successful. So it can be really tempting to just make do with what you’ve got—even if it is slowly and relentlessly grinding you down. So what happens when “what works” is actually grinding you down and making it hard to take care of yourself? That’s the question we’re exploring today. It’s a question I’ve asked myself several times during the course of my own business. There have been plenty of times when what’s working in some ways just wasn’t working for me as a human being. There have been times when what works has turned into what worked—and I needed to rethink my business in a way that would contribute more to my own well-being. Today’s guest is Toi Smith—a growth & impact strategist who has wrestled with this same question. Toi and I talk about how her identity and business model has shifted from virtual assistant to online business manager to strategist and why each pivot was necessary. We also talk about the ups and downs of making these changes and the impact each shift has had on her rates, working hours, and client load. Pay close attention to how Toi talks about her mindset shift away from thinking of her work as labor and into thinking of it as thought partnership and leadership. She’s had to dismantle and reassemble the way she thinks about how she and her business creates value in order to realize the full potential of her own entrepreneurship. Now, let’s find out What Works for Toi Smith! What Works Is Brought To You By Mighty Networks powers brands and businesses – like yours! – that bring people together.With a Mighty Network, online business owners just like you can bring together in one place: * Your website* Your content* Your courses* Your community* Your events online and in real life* And charge for them…all while building YOUR brand. Visit mightynetworks.com to see more examples of brands bringing people together and taking their businesses to the next level. ★ Support this podcast ★

The Nitty-Gritty: * How The Joy Of Missing Out author Tonya Dalton discovered the stories and self-talk that were keeping her from really enjoying life and celebrating her success* Why identifying the litmus tests she put herself through helped her determine what she really wanted out of life and business* How she reflects on the good, the bad, and the ugly to keep her stories and self-talk in check* How Tonya rewrites her stories so her self-talk supports her and the life she wants to lead Let’s talk about self-talk. Self-talk is that voice inside your head that narrates everything happening around you. Sometimes self-talk pumps you up—like after you nail a meeting with a new client and you remind yourself what a boss you are. Sometimes self-talk cuts you down—like when you realize you’ve made a mistake and you tell yourself you’re such a screw-up. I think we’re all pretty familiar with how our inner critics or inner cheerleaders can impact the way we feel or act at this point. What you might not be so familiar with is how your self-talk can reinforce stories about how the world works… stories that just don’t hold up to scrutiny. This month on What Works, we’re examining taking care of ourselves with our businesses. That doesn’t just mean taking time for a Hawaiian vacation with all those sweet airline miles you’ve earned on your business credit card. Nor does it mean treating yourself to a massage, a meal delivery, or a first class upgrade because you “deserve it.” Taking care of yourself with your business means examining how you work—and how the business works for you—from the ground up. Today, we’re going to look closely at a key component of how you make decisions for your business—your self-talk—and how your self-talk contributes to the 21st century phenomenal of FOMO. Specifically, we’re going to look at the stories we tell ourselves and how they convince us to do more, push harder, and never rest for fear of missing out. Next week, we’ll examine how your business model and identity as a service provider impacts how you run your business with growth strategist Toi Smith. You’ll also hear from podcaster Elsie Escobar about how she audits her growth and accomplishments over the course of the year and sets intentions for the year to come. Then, you’ll hear from Hailey Thomas about how a sudden loss led her to rethinking the way her business operates and how it impacts her life. Alright, back to self-talk and the fear of missing out. A bunch of the stories we tell ourselves revolve around what it takes to be a good business owner. And these stories make it really difficult to take good care of ourselves. Your story might be that a good business owners is always available for their clients—so the first thing you do in the morning and the last thing you do at night is check your email. Or, you might tell yourself that a good business owner always completes their to-do list—and you beat yourself up when you don’t. Or, you might tell yourself that a good business owner is on all the social media platforms—so you work your tail off to be o... ★ Support this podcast ★

The Nitty-Gritty: * Why SmartStart founder Linda Lopeke has every potential client complete a rigorous application* How she sets expectations clearly from the get-go so that every client has the best chance of getting results* What inspired her approach to business systems and client experience* How she makes brand-new clients feel at ease, step-by-step Starting my working life as a retail worker, I always associated “customer service” with what you do when there’s a problem. A customer needs to make a return. They have a question about this week’s sale. They need to report a problem with the bathroom. Despite years and years of training on customer service, no one ever said to me: customer service starts before the customer even walks in the door. Customer service is having the right product on display. It’s having the carpet freshly vacuumed. It’s having the music at the right level, playing the right songs. Do customer service right, right from the beginning, and you dramatically reduce the number of problems you encounter during the day. I didn’t learn that lesson until I started my own business—and really many years after. For our final episode on our series on designing exceptional customer experiences, I spoke with Linda Lopeke, the founder of SmartStart. Linda knows that customer service starts long before the first purchase is ever made. She’s designed her entire client on-boarding system to set clear expectations, ensure fit, and make new clients feel at ease. Instead of crossing her fingers and hoping she doesn’t run into customer service problems, Linda has crafted a process elevates her client experience. I talked with Linda about the lengthy application process she uses, why she interviews every prospect before they can work with her, and how she brings on a new client step-by-step. Play close attention to all the opportunities Linda has to set expectations throughout the process and reduce the friction of doing the work. Now, let’s find out what works for Linda Lopeke! What Works Is Brought To You By Mighty Networks powers brands and businesses – like yours! – that bring people together.With a Mighty Network, online business owners just like you can bring together in one place: * Your website* Your content* Your courses* Your community* Your events online and in real life* And charge for them…all while building YOUR brand. Visit mightynetworks.com to see more examples of brands bringing people together and taking their businesses to the next level. ★ Support this podcast ★